Roleplay
by Anoni
Summary: Events from the series are twisted into a fantasy AU, where the GW characters fight with magic and swords instead of Gundams. This is primarily an experiment with character development in a parallel universe.
1. Chance Encounter

Disclaimer: _Don't own anything except the comp I'm using right now - if I did, I'd have killed certain characters I don't like. As it is, I'll try not to let my bias get in the way. :)_

Warnings: _One new character, eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC_

  
  
** PLEASE NOTE **

The entire story can be found at **esoteric-expression.populli.net**. If you haven't read any of 'Roleplay' before, _please_ go and read it from there. The story has been quite heavily revised and edited since I first wrote it, but uploading the revised chapters to ff.net takes forever, and I haven't had the time to do it. Sorry for any inconvenience.

**~Anoni**  


* * *

**Cover Text**

Events from the series are twisted into a fantasy AU, where the GW boys fight with magic and swords instead of Gundams...

**Blurb **(mild spoilers)

On one hand, there were six youths of noble birth; on the other, there was a lone girl working for a living in street taverns. A headache, a spilled drink and a strange twist of fate brought her to the Grounds in time to see a malicious attack on the Journeyman Elementalist named Heero Yuy. By the time events slowed down once more, the girl was happily settled as a trainee at the Elementalist Collegium.

Two years later, Prince Milliardo of Sanq and his conpanions returned from Zolte night celebrations to find the palace burnt, their friends and monarchs murdered and their country seized by Oz. The seven escaped into the night and hid, vowing revenge as they headed north towards the Fort Ranges between Sanq and Oz. Thus, the Windriders were born. 

The journey led to shocking discoveries of slaughter, each of which revealed more and more of the ruthlessness of Oz. The enemy, in turn, grew increasingly wary of the black-clad Windriders who had declared themselves protectors of Sanq. However, as the prince and his companions met and allied with gypsies, mercenaries and clanfolk, they began to hear stories of seemingly disconnected events that bore disturbing similarities.

Was Prince Treize of Oz and his dying father really responsible for the multitudes of deaths? Or was there some other force behind the impossibly powerful attacks on Sanq and its people?

And if there was, what was it, and could anyone be strong enough to defeat it?

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**Part I: Chance Encounter **

"Heero!"

The youth didn't even turn around; only one person could sound so impossibly cheerful in the morning. "Hn. For heaven's sake, Duo - I know my reason for getting up at this unholy hour, but why on earth are you here?"

The braided boy grinned. "I followed you."

Cobalt eyes narrowed as Heero glanced at his cousin. "May I ask why?"

"Oh, come on. Everyone knows you're the youngest ever Elementalist to take the Master exam. How could I even think of not offering my support?" If anything, the grin widened, and mischievous eyes twinkled at the frown on Heero's face. "In case you didn't know, all the others will be coming as well - but they're going straight to the grounds. Mili should be back just in time - he went out pretending to be a commoner again. Lucky him... he gets to goggle at the serving girls without his father watching."

Heero rolled his eyes but relaxed slightly - his cousin had a way of taking away his nerves. "You're only _twelve_, for god's sake. In two years, we'll have so many eyelashes fluttering at us that even *you* will get sick of them."

"Wanna bet on it? Anyway, it's three years for me - I'm one year younger than you, remember?" Duo grinned, noting that the tension in his cousin's face had faded, and allowed himself a small smirk of satisfaction. "Come on, get there earlier so you can adjust." With that, he bounced out of the palace, knowing his cousin would follow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shoot!" The girl swore as coffee spilled off the tray, dripping into a puddle beside the feet of the customer. "I'm so sorry... here, I'll get you a cloth."

Fumbling at her apron, Suriku grabbed a small towel and reached out to wipe the soaked shoes, but was interrupted by a growl, "Girl, just what do you think you're doing?"

The raven-haired girl bit her lips as she turned to her employer. "I'm sorry, sir - I've just got a stinging headache..."

"Like the one you had earlier this week? Humph. Look, girl, if you don't have anything better to do than to spill drinks on a weekly basis, I suggest you find some other job... in the circus, maybe."

With a sinking feeling, Suri read the dismissal and sighed. "Yes, sir. I'll return the uniform to Maria."

The man nodded briskly and stalked out. Looking up at the customer who had stood by the entire time, she muttered another apology, and dried his shoes as best as she could. _I seem to be doing this a lot lately, don't I? _Only last week, she had knocked over a bottle of the inn's most expensive wine, and before that, a jar of brandy. _If only I didn't get these damned headaches all the time! Not even those foul-tasting potions work. Now I've got to get another job - and the Gods know it was hard enough to get this one. I'll probably get fired in a month as well._

Mopping up the last of the spill, Suri signalled for one of her friends to bring a coffee to replace the spilled one. Reading the glum look on her face, the other girl said sympathetically, "Oh no... another headache?"

Suri sighed and nodded, carefully setting the cup on the table. "The problem is, I have no idea why I get them! They just come for no reason, and at the most inconvenient times... the other inns have probably heard of my reputation as well. I mean, not every waitress gets fired once a month."

"Try something else then - you know, offer to sing or something. Your voice is one of the best I've heard."

"Yeah, but the other applicants will be trained bards... I don't stand a chance." Catching the glare their boss sent at them, Suri sighed again. "You'd better go - no need for you to get fired as well."

They exchanged quick hugs, and Suri trudged down the stairs, returning the over-sized uniform and grabbing her few belongings. Turning a corner, she made her way through the winding alleys. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the shadow following her until a cackle caught her attention. Spinning around, she quickly snapped on a scowl, demanding, "What do you want?"

The shadow approached, revealing itself as a middle-aged man with greying hair - and a knife. Smirking, he mocked, "What do I want? A young, pretty girl sounds good."

Before she had time to react, he was upon her, keeping his knife carefully at her throat. Struggling proved useless, and Suri silently chided herself for getting herself into such a situation. It was not as though she didn't know what precautions to take - every female and most males out of babyhood had been trained to look out for signs of danger. The man cackled again, reaching for her top. At the contact, Suri froze, eyes widening, her mind screaming, "No...!"

Suddenly, all she saw was red - red, as in flames. Flames that lanced across the face and body of the man assaulting her. Startled, Suri took the opportunity to break away, but her gaze remained fixed on the man who was running down the alley, knowing that somehow, she was responsible for the fire. There was no time for her to ponder, though, because at that moment, another headache seized her. She sank down, knowing no more.

She woke to feel a hand patting her face, and shoved it off instinctively. The young man made no move to stop her; instead, he stepped back, allowing her room to stand. Suri rose, glanced at the person and gasped in recognition. "Y-you're the man who I spilled coffee on this morning!"

The man brushed back his platinum-coloured hair and grinned, offering her his hand. "Glad you remember me. My friends call me Mili."

Suri shook it, replying, "I'm Suriku, or Suri for short. Um... excuse me, but why are you here?"

The man laughed. "After I finished the coffee, I happened to see a... rather scorched person running past, and decided to see what happened. It was your work, I presume?"

She blushed slightly. "I'm not sure. I think it was, since I was the only one around, but... well, how on earth could I have done it?"

Mili frowned thoughtfully. "Hmm... have you ever heard of elementalists?"

"Ele-what? Don't think so... if I had, I'd be able to say the word."

"Well, they work with the elements - fire, water, wind and ice are the main ones. There are quite a few others, but people who can work those are rarer."

Suri glanced at him quizzically. "So you're saying I'm a... what did you call them - Elementalist?"

He nodded. "Usually, the ability is inherited, like most other magical abilities. Parents who suspect their children have the talent send them to the collegium for testing when they're eight years old. If they test positive, another Elementalist would take them as students - at that stage, they're called Apprentices. They're taught the basics - you know, how to use and direct their power, some simple applications... and how to control the flow of the gift so it doesn't give them headaches or render them unconscious." 

Catching his wink, Suri blushed again. "So... are you an Elementalist?"

"Nope. Or rather, I can only work with one element, water, and that isn't enough to qualify. I'm still trained, of course, but I'm called a Water-worker instead of an Elementalist. I have a friend who's going for the Master exam though."

"Master? That's the next stage up?"

"No - the next rank is Journeyman. The Apprentice stage can be completed in a year, but some have taken up to three years to pass. It depends on how powerful your gift is, as well as the amount of work you put in. When your teacher feels you are ready, you will be allowed to take the Journeyman exam - because quite a lot of people take those exams, they are done privately, and there only needs to be three judges. If you pass, you earn the status of Journeyman, and can start learning more advanced techniques and the such. Some prefer not to continue... they can apply for jobs like managing the flow of water in fields and buildings, or controlling forest fires. The ones who do continue try for the Master ranking. Speaking of which... do you have anything planned for this morning? As I mentioned before, I have a friend taking the Master exam, and since those exams are public, I can take you to watch him if you want."

Suri couldn't help grinning. _Ah... so those headaches didn't happen for no reason. So maybe I'm not totally useless after all. And since I don't really have anywhere to go... _"Sure - thanks. Um, where do we go?"

Mili smiled back. "The grounds - that's where all the exams take place. It has special spells set up around it so accidents don't occur. As to where it is... just follow me."

Notes:

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What do you think? These guys still have to be trained and invaded before the *real* story begins. Please, please R&R! Even one word will be good... *puppy dog eyes* 


	2. Examination

Disclaimer: _Don't own anything except the comp I'm using right now - if I did, I'd have killed certain characters I don't like. As it is, I'll try not to let my bias get in the way. :)_

Warnings: _One original character, eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC_

Notes: _Thanks to Weirdo_189 for the review; I hope I get more! Even if you just tell me it was really bad. Oh, and by the way, telepathic speech is done in brackets._

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Part II: Examination

Duo perched on the edge the bench, his expression unusually grim as he watched his cousin concentrate. Being a Light-worker himself, he understood the balance required for manipulating elements. It was difficult enough with a single element, but to have to juggle three at once... the very thought made him shudder. _Hell, how does he do it? I mean, the youngest person to pass the Master exam before was *fifteen*. He's two years younger, for god's sake! I swear, if he gets blown apart..._

"Duo?"

The braided boy turned quickly, his grin snapping back on as he waved at the trio entering the grounds. "Hey! Took you long enough to arrive - Heero's warming up."

"They realised that, baka." Unseen by his cousin, Heero had walked over to nod his greeting to the threesome. "You know there's another hour before it starts?"

Smirking, Duo mimicked, "They realised that, baka."

The blonde who had spoken before smiled - he was used to the cousins' daily bickering, having been subject to it for years. According to their nurses, Heero and Duo had had yelling matches ever since they were infants, and Quatre was inclined to believe it, especially since it still happened quite frequently - no screaming, of course, but definitely quite a few sarcastic remarks. Turning to the Japanese, he said, "Hi, Heero. We know the timetable, but decided to watch you warm up - do you mind?"

Giving him a slight smile, Heero shook his head, gesturing to the bench Duo was sitting on. "This row is reserved for all of you. Their majesties and my parents are going to be in the wings with the judges."

Another member of the trio - an Asian youth - raised his eyebrows at the Quatre. "Your parents are coming?"

The Arabian nodded. "Their Majesties wanted to see the most potentially powerful Elementalist of the century. In action, I mean."

"And come on, Wufei," Duo added, "don't you *ever* keep track of what goes on in court? People do talk when the King and Queen decide to visit the grounds, you know."

The Asian scowled at him. "Is it *my* fault that, unlike some people, I actually have _duties_ to perform?"

Duo opened his mouth to reply, but a tap from the third person stopped him. Instead, he frowned and asked, "Trowa?"

The other boy shook his head, long bangs tumbling over his eyes, and gestured at the figure concentrating on the grounds. Duo smacked himself mentally. _Shit, I *always* get carried away. Maybe one day, I'll actually remember to shut up once my "patient" relaxes enough. _He shuffled over, allowing his companions room to sit. Silently, they watched their friend as he assumed control over the elements once more.

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Suriku followed her companion as he wove his way confidently through the streets, wincing as she realised that, were he not beside her, she would be totally and utterly lost. As though he sensed her thoughts, Mili grinned, saying, "Don't worry - I know the way. And I'll take you back to the inn afterwards."

She sent him a grateful smile, but it dimmed as she remembered she had been fired. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, and she asked, "Mili... who pays to train the Elementalists?"

Mili's eyes searched hers for a moment, then cleared as he recalled the innkeeper's words of dismissal. _She's concerned she won't be able to pay! Like she has to worry - her power is the strongest I've seen in an untrained person. Even some Journeyman Elementalists aren't able to attack so accurately - especially with fire, which is the hardest to control. She's lucky she didn't get scorched herself. _He face, however betrayed nothing of his thoughts as he replied, "Don't worry, the collegiums are funded by the crown - in return, though, you must take an oath not to use your powers against Sanq. Since the parents of most of the trainees served the crown in their time, the oath doesn't pose much of a problem. Some people still prefer to pay for private tuition though - in those cases, they don't need to swear the oath, but have to pay for the training and examinations."

Suri nodded, relief evident on her features. They walked in silence for a while, then Mili paused, pointing at a building to their north. "That area is called the grounds - it's basically a stone clearing with stands for the people and judges. Protective spells are placed between the stands and clearing - they stop spectators from getting injured, and make sure no outside help can be given to the person being tested."

"Why would anyone try to help... oh. Is that to make sure nobody starts learning stuff they aren't ready for?"

"Primarily. Some of the more advanced techniques, especially the ones dealing with nodes, can literally blow you up from the inside." The youth hesitated, then closed his mouth. Instead, he took her by the arm and led her past several guards, who bowed slightly as they passed.

Suri's frowned slightly. _You're not telling me everything, are you? Hmm... "primarily", hey? So there's another reason. And I'm not an idiot - I *saw* those guards bowing to you. They know who you are. Which means you're not a commoner. _She said nothing though, keeping her thoughts to herself as she had done for years.

Mili watched the girl out of the corner of his eye, and gave a mental sigh as he caught the frown. _She's sharp - guess you have to be, to work at her age... I'll bet she's as old as Quatre. Dammit, I'll have to tell her who I am soon, or someone will give it away and she'll bolt. But it isn't every day that I find a commoner who treats me normally. _But he, too, said nothing as they walked along the half-filled stands. Suri tensed; scarce as her education was, she knew nobles when she saw them. And most of the people around her definitely fit into that category. Her companion, though, was undeterred - he merely tightened his grip on her arm and strode towards the front row. In fact, the people in the row of reserved seats were turning around...

"Mili!"

"Hello to you, Duo. And to all the rest of you - how do you always manage to get to places earlier than I do?" Mili took the last few steps, taking a seat next to the speaker.

Suri bit her lips - her companion was definitely *not* a commoner. Neither was that braided boy who just called Mili's name, or that blonde sitting next to him, or the... Her thoughts were interrupted as her companion grinned, and pulled her down onto another seat - on the reserved row. "I-uh, Mili? Shouldn't I..." There was no denying it, she was stammering. For the first time in her life as well. And a red flush was creeping up her cheeks...

Pretend nothing is out of normal, guys. Mili sent quickly to his companions. She's a rogue elementalist - just flamed a man earlier. Lucky I noticed her before any of the OZ spies did. I told her about Elementalists, and she's here to see Heero... but she doesn't know who I am. Don't tell her. 

Right. The four youths all sent affirmative replies, and Duo leaned over to offer his hand to the blushing girl. "Hey, I'm Duo. You must have done something pretty amazing to get Mili's attention - I was starting to think he didn't like girls."

"Duo!" Mili nudged him teasingly. "She's a friend, for God's sake. I'd swear, if I went and bought a cow one day, you'd still say I had my eyes on her." Inwardly, though, he was grateful - Duo's teasing was usually extremely effective at calming people down. _But of course, he knows that, doesn't he? And he'll probably claim I owe him a favor later. Oh well - one step at a time._

Sure enough, Suri found her tongue again, and shook Duo's hand. "Um... I'm Suriko. Suri for short. And Mili was only..."

Duo laughed and winked at her. "Don't worry, he *is* kinda attractive. But won't you say that I'm more your type?"

The blonde, catching on, gave Duo a mock slap. "Quit teasing her, you baka. You have three more years to wait before you're allowed to court girls anyway. Or boys, since you seem to like the idea so much."

"More's the pity - but you have to wait just as long. And as for the last part... humph. Who would I try for - you?"

Shaking his head, the Arabian turned to the girl. "Hi, I'm Quatre. Don't mind Duo - he's just an overgrown hormone." He shook her hand, before gesturing to the other two youths sitting on the row, an Asian and a boy whose brown bangs practically covered his eyes. "These two are Wufei and Trowa - they're slightly more normal. Only slightly, mind you."

Suri smiled at the three of them, easing up minutely. "Nice to meet you."

Wufei and Trowa returned her greeting, and Mili relaxed into his seat. Thanks, guys. he sent, and received mental nods in reply. _It's lucky they all understand the danger of untrained Elementalists on the loose, especially since... _

"Hey guys, I think it's starting." Duo pointed at the lone figure in the clearing. Sure enough, silence quickly filled the stands.

For the girl's benefit, Mili whispered, "The exam starts once Heero - that's my friend - officially declares to the main judge that he's ready. After that, we're utterly forbidden to speak."

Nodding, Suri turned her full attention to the figure who was walking towards an old man - the main judge, she assumed - standing at the northern end of the clearing.

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Heero strode towards the judge, carefully keeping his nervousness under reign. Sparing a glance at the stands, he smiled slightly to himself as he saw the supportive faces of his friends - he had known they would be here. There was a strange girl sitting with them though - a commoner, as far as he could tell. He would have to ask about her later. For now, there was a more important task at hand...

"Kneel." The judge commanded, his aged voice carrying easily to the audience.

The Japanese knelt, his hands clasped at his knees as custom demanded.

"Heero Yuy, do you swear by your life never to use your control over the elements against the Sanq kingdom and the crown?"

"I do so swear." Heero raised his arm, curling his fingers in the sign of the oath.

"Do you swear never to use that control against the faithful citizens of Sanq?"

"I do so swear." The boy repeated the sign.

"Heero Yuy, you may stand. The blessing of the crown is upon you."

Heero rose, locking his arms at his side, and bowed three times, first to the main judge, then to the judges and teachers gathered in the wing, and lastly to the audience. His face was expressionless - only those who knew him well could have recognised the signs of tension in his posture. As it was, the judge nodded, satisfied, and began the examination ceremony.

"Heero Yuy, Journeyman Elementalist, do you willingly undertake the Master Elementalist examination?"

"I do."

"Do you believe you can - without outside influence - manipulate three different elements to the level required to pass the Master examination?"

"I do."

"Is your body cleared of all energies that can affect your performance?"

"It is." 

"Then you may begin."

The Japanese youth bowed once more, then strode to the centre of the clearing, gathering his concentration as he prepared to gather the scattered elemental energies - the judges always made sure the power level of the clearing was as it had been before the examinee warmed up. His body, too, had been cleansed of all residue energies; that was the tradition, and ensured that no cheating would occur. Taking a deep breath, Heero began summoning the forces of energy.

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Forces of chill: come hard, come cold -   
Mask my body in shields of ice,  
Within your crust the powers run bold  
And souls through you shall death entice. 

A chill swept over the stands as the summons were sent, and a few shivered involuntarily. In the clearing, ice began to form on the stones. Small crystals crept over the stone, slowly spreading and merging to form a whole. Heero ignored the scene, however, and concentrated on the next element.

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Forces of heat: burn wild, burn fair,  
My heart and courage do enflame,  
Within your blaze the powers do flare  
And spirited lives your fire shall tame. 

Almost immediately, sparks licked across the ice, leaving trails of water in its wake. The ice-energies, sensing invasion, reformed and grew in clusters, mounting barriers to counter the flame. For a moment, Heero paused in his summoning, but after checking that the balance between the two elements was perfect, he continued to summon his final element.

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Forces of air: blow strong, blow deep,  
My skills your winds and gales do try,  
Within your form a blade does sleep  
And on hearing your breath do people die. 

For a tense moment, Heero concentrated even more intensely, fighting to make sure his weakest element balanced with the others. Gently reining back both ice and fire, he released the wind, breathing a small sigh of relief as it soared past, engaging in battle with the other elemental forces. Inwardly, he steadied the flow of energy, distributing and controlling the powers with an unfeigned familiarity. Then, he paused, raising his arm to signal to the judges that he was ready to be judged on the first part of the examination: summoning any three elements and allowing them to mix within the grounds, ensuring they were balanced and that none of the elements overpowered the other.

There was a long pause as the judges conferred and calculated the score, and Heero suddenly felt grateful to the person who designed the Elementalist exams - at least he would know whether he passed each section before going on to the next. He had confidence in most of the sections, but the last two... _Stop it, _he chided himself. _You have no time for this - and concentration is everything, you know it. That's what all that training was for. _Shaking himself slightly, he looked towards the wing just in time to see the main judge step out and announce, "Section one passed. You may begin the next section."

Heero nodded and walked to the wing, knowing and sensing his connection to the energies was being cut. "I am ready."

"The time starts... now."

Sitting on a small stool, the Japanese waited. _Since when did ten minutes last this long? Oh hell... I'm talking to myself again. _Section two of the exam tested the Elementalist's balance of the energies he summoned - that's why he had to withdraw into the shielded room, and relinquish his control over the power. If the distribution had been done correctly, the energies would mix and battle for ten minutes without any one element overpowering the others. At the moment, the battle was working perfectly - the time was almost over. _Three minutes left. Two. One..._

Suddenly, an explosion sounded outside the chamber. Startled, Heero looked out, worried that somehow, he had upset the balance. What he saw - or sensed - was even more shocking: the elements were being fed, so much so that his gift would soon be unable to control them. Quickly retaking control, he battled the forces in an attempt to drain off the excess energies. _Filter, pass, filter, pass... no!! _Trying to hide his fear, he shouted, "Evacuate! I can't hold them - they're being fed..." His speech broke off as he concentrated all his talent on stalling for time.

Notes:

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Sorry - I've changed the authors notes at the end of this chapter because I suddenly realised I had given away too much... gomen. For those who've read this chapter before it was changed - this happened because this chapter wasn't meant to be a cliffhanger, but it was really late, so I decided to post what I had written. The notes from before was meant to be included after the *whole* chapter was finished. Sorry again :)

And thanks to Duo's ONLY Chick for reviewing the un-updated version of this chapter... because I have a feeling that once a chapter is edited, the reviews are deleted or something. Correct me if I'm wrong :P

Please, please R&R! Even one word will be good... *puppy dog eyes* 


	3. Discoveries

Disclaimer: _Don't own anything except the comp I'm using right now - if I did, I'd have killed certain characters I don't like. As it is, I'll try not to let my bias get in the way. :)_

Warnings: _One original character, eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC_

Notes: _Thanks to Duo's ONLY Chick for the review - sorry about the cliffhanger :). It just turned out that way. And I have a thing with magic - there's going to be heaps of it. Whether that's good or bad... you decide. But please, someone write another review!_

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Part III: Discoveries

"What's happening?" Suri tried to make herself heard over the din that suddenly erupted over the stands.

Mili ignored her as he stood and made for the stop of the stands and faced the crowd. "Calm down! Nothing can happen - there are *shields* around this place! They _won't break!_"

Within moments, several men were by his side. "Your Majesty, should we evacuate?"

The fourteen-year-old hesitated slightly, but nodded, turning back to the people gathered in front of him, raising his voice. "Now listen to me. We are evacuating, *not* because the shields might break, but because there may be a fight here if the Masters discover who was behind this... outbreak. People in area one, follow Master Tumi. Area two, go with Duke Barton. Master Yurino, take area three. Area four, come with me."

The three men obeyed instantly, heralding the crowd through the various exits. Mili grabbed Suri's arm and led his own group to the nearest door, adding to his friends, "Guys, check that nobody is left in here. Meet me in the fields afterwards." Sending the people home with warnings to stay away from the area, Mili leaned against a tree, waiting for his friends to exit.

Suri, however, had her attention fixed solely on her companion. "Mili... Milliardo. Milliardo Peacecraft, heir to the Sanq thrown... oh my God. Y-you're the prince, aren't you? Wh... why on earth didn't you tell me - was it _fun_, lying to someone who didn't know you? A *commoner*?" She practically spat the last word.

The prince shook his head firmly. "Suri... Suri, _listen_ to me! Yes, I'm the prince, the heir to the crown and all the rest of it, but I'm also a normal fourteen-year-old. I was at that inn, wasn't I? I don't make a habit of telling people who I am simply because I don't like people acting like I would sentence them to their deaths at any moment! Can you understand that?"

She snatched her hand away from his, scowling in anger. "So the prince gets bored because he doesn't have to struggle to survive, and decides to go out and act 'normal' for a while, then tricks stupid idiots into believing him, right? Then he gets tired of not having servants, and goes back to the palace for a good laugh with his mates."

Mili bit his lips, knowing he wouldn't be able to convince her to change her mind about him - not at the moment, anyway. "What about your powers then? The man you burnt? Can you deny those?"

"So I'm an Elementalist - probably a weak one, at that. There's no law that says I have to get training, is there? Or are you going to *force* me, your _Highness_?" She didn't bother keeping the sarcasm out of her voice - he deserved it, for raising her hopes the way he did...

Again, the prince shook his head. "No, no and no again - especially not about the first part. Suri, you don't have to believe me, but you're *not* weak - you're the strongest untrained Fire-worker I've seen. If you don't learn to control the energy... something will happen. And I really don't want to see you blown apart."

Suri was about to retort, but suddenly sensed something. _Confusion. Concern... and malice. Lot's of it. But where is it coming from... _Frowning, she looked at the prince - their argument would have to wait. "Do you sense that?"

Mili was startled by the sudden change, but did not comment. Instead, he asked, "That?"

She concentrated, trying to _feel_ the same things she felt before. "Um... from over there." She pointed in the direction of some forests to the east of the grounds. "I-I'm not sure what it is... just a sense of something cruel - evil. Maybe it's nothing, but..."

The prince's face hardened. "I doubt it. Come, lead the way." He looked over at Suri, who hesitated slightly, then nodded and walked eastward. Privately, he sent to his friends, Hurry - Suri's picked up something, and I'll be damned if it hasn't anything to do with what happened. Get Master Yurino and Master Tumi. 

Can you trust her, Mili? A mental voice asked.

I'm pretty sure... if it wasn't serious, she wouldn't have stopped argu- nothing. And yes, I trust her, Wufei. Mili received a mental nod of acknowledgement, and fell into step beside his companion, who was pointedly ignoring him. He sighed - after this, he had a lot of explaining to do. _Maybe I should have..._

"Arrghhh!!!"

He was interrupted by a scream, and spun to look at Suri - who had fallen to the ground, convulsing, eyes wide with terror. About to reach for her arm, he suddenly pulled back, sensing the waves of heat radiating from her body. Paling, he summoned his gift, then whitened even further at what it told him: the girl was burning up from an overdose of power - elemental power. Raw, unfiltered energy that no Elementalists other than Adepts could control. _Where the hell is she getting it all from... shit. That's what's happened with Heero, during the exam - somehow, they're attracting the power...at least Heero knows how to distribute it... but why would Suri be..._

"Mili - what's happening?" The voice of an Adept brought his panicked thoughts to a halt.

"Master Tumi, Master Yurino... Suri - that's the girl - she's attracting the power... just like Heero... but she's untrained; she can't even filter them!" Under other circumstances, the prince would have flushed at making such an undignified speech, but at the moment, he couldn't care less. This amount of power, uncontrolled, could easily...

"Mili - get a grip, boy. And get your damned shields up!" The last command, barked out by the other Adept, was instantly obeyed, by the four youths who had just arrived as well as the prince. Having a sense of what the two men were about to do, the youths kept as still as possible, concentrating instead on their own defences. The Adepts glanced at each other, then closed their eyes, linking their powers in a mind bond and following the threads of power flowing through the fainted girl's body, trying to determine its source.

Yurino, over there... 

Aye, I see it - the energy's being uprooted, that's why it's out of control... but who would be stupid enough to uproot _this_ kind of power? 

No, look - not entirely out of control. It's only latching on to unguarded energy paths - _strong_, unguarded energy paths... holy shit. 

The two men reached the conclusion at the same time - there were less than ten circumstances in which energy channels would be left totally open, and only one person would have been in such a situation today...

Heero. 

Aye - the most potentially powerful Elementalist in Sanq... this doesn't look good. 

Oz? 

More than likely. I was beginning to wonder why they weren't making a move on him... 

What about this girl - Suri? She's strong, no doubt - she would have to be, to get touched by that kind of power and still be alive. But she has no control whatsoever... Master Tumi switched back to normal speech. "Mili, just how did you end up with this girl?"

"I met her this morning, outside an inn. Caught her scorching a would-be assaulter."

"Did you sense any Oz mages around?"

"No - I checked. They may have been shielded, of course, but there were no unexpected energy traces either."

"There wouldn't have been." Master Yurino muttered. "Any mages would have been over here, doing the actual uprooting."

Both Trowa and Wufei frowned, and the Arabian blanched. "You mean, they were..."

"Uprooting the elemental channels in such a way that the energy would go after a certain young mage, who just happened to be due to take an exam this morning." The Adept said bluntly. "And somehow, this girl was strong enough to attract the energy as well." _And not die - she will need to be trained, and soon._

Duo clenched his fist, visibly keeping his anger in check. _There *will* be revenge for this, cousin, I swear it. But not now - not yet. _Outwardly, he asked, "Do you know how Heero is doing?"

Master Tumi reached out mentally, and after a moment's pause, gave him a small smile. "He is fine - Masters Simera and Loda are with him, and they're both Adepts. His condition should be stable."

"And Suri?" Mili glanced down at the girl. _If I hadn't brought her here..._

"She'll be fine as well - the energy was only attracted to open channels, and I'm shielding hers. It won't work forever, but the Collegium will be sending people here to reharness the power. It wasn't seriously attracted to her anyway - she was more like a bridge. Go back to the palace, all of you. Take the girl with you, and get a healer onto her - Delia, preferably; she's had experiences with damaged energy channels."

The boys nodded, somewhat reluctantly, and moved to obey. After they left, the Adepts exchanged grim glances - somehow, they were going to get to the bottom of this. Attacking an enemy in war was one thing; taking advantage of an unguarded boy... that was another matter altogether.

Tumi, there's another thing - how on earth did they manage to get pass the shielding? The Adept switched back to telepathy; it was safer.

There are but two possibilities - the first one I'd rather not think of... besides, it *is* rather unlikely that there could be a traitor among us, when all the judges are from our generation - Simera and Loda are definitely loyal. The others would not have access to the shield-key. 

After a moment of thought, Master Yurino nodded. I'll agree with that - besides, there are not many who would want to face the consequences of oath-breaking. But the other possibility... 

Leave it for the Collegium halls - this area doesn't feel safe, somehow. I can't sense anyone nearby, but if a person was able to pull this off... 

Aye, better safe than sorry. I'll see whether the others need my help. 

Go - I'll run in a primary report at the Collegium. 

They rose, going their separate ways, but both knew that another political struggle was starting - such things always did, after a period of peace. They only hoped that when more attacks occurred, they would be better prepared...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After they had gone, a man emerged from the shadows of the bushes, frowning grimly. His face darkened even further as his thoughts turned to the raven-haired girl. _I'll have to find out about you - it's not every day that an unknown factor is strong enough to disturb my plans. And it's not every day that someone can handle such a flood of energy without being torn apart either. Oh yes, girl, I'll *definitely* have to find out more..._

Knowing nobody was around, he prepared a portal back to his headquarters, making use of the unharnessed energy. _You won't be let off that easily, you fools - not if I have a say in the matter. I swore vengeance, and I always keep my promises..._

Notes:

__

So, what do you think? The real plot has yet to begin - I'll try to get the next bit out by Sunday. And I'll let everybody know what happened to Suri and Heero... but don't expect many answers for a while yet.

Please, please R&R! Even one word will be good... *puppy dog eyes* 


	4. Healers' Collegium

Disclaimer: _Don't own anything except the comp I'm using right now - if I did, I'd have killed certain characters I don't like. As it is, I'll try not to let my bias get in the way. :)_

Warnings: _One original character, eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC_

Notes: _Thanks to Duo's ONLY Chick and Hee-chan rocks! for the reviews. Trust me, there are going to be a *lot* of people (and some not-so-people) getting involved in this fic - Oz is just a part of it! And oh yeah - you probably won't like this if you are allergic to magic. But after these intro chapters, it does ease off a bit :)_

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Part IV: Healers' Collegium

Heero clenched his teeth, struggling to control the flow of power through his body. _I don't get it - how did anyone manage to get past the shields? And the flow is so strong... nobody can *possibly* have this much power. I won't be able to hold it much longer, my gift is almost drained already... but if I lose control... _He shook his head, forcing himself to steer clear of those thoughts. _Filter, pass, filter... shit! It's still coming - and I thought the last flood would be the last! This doesn't look good..._ _hellsfire, where is it all coming from? Filt... no!!_

By his side, two Adepts were trying their best to ease the energy flow, but they were barely succeeding - the power simply rushed past each and every barrier they erected. The other judges had already evacuated everybody in the wings - including the monarchs... and Heero's parents. Only the insistence that their presence would distract Heero convinced the latter to depart - and even then, they had done so reluctantly. 

Ignoring the sweatdrops trickling down her forehead, the Elementalist asked, Loda, just where is all this coming from? 

That's the problem - I can't find the source; this power is too uncontrolled. 

But why isn't it coming at us... oh no. 

Simera? The Adept left the question unspoken, concentrating instead on another barrier around their young protégé.

It's only attracted to him, and the only difference between him and us is that... 

His energy paths were unguarded - we "disabled" them for the examination. 

Master Simera nodded mentally, saying, Someone obviously realised that - and figured that we won't be able to do anything about this... damn that bastard to hell. 

Can you sense how much is still coming? 

Too much. 

Master Loda frowned grimly - the reply came as no surprise. And we can't block Heero's channels either - it would be like trying to dam a flood. We''ll just have to see, and pray that it doesn't come to... that. 

Both of them became silent once more, trying to hide their concern as they watched their student gradually bending under the force of the onslaught; trying to delay the inevitable. Then, a weak voice reached out to them. Master Simera... Master Loda. It's no use - it would be easier to do it now, before I'm knocked unconscious. 

The normally stoic Adepts didn't bother hiding their faces, or the distress reflected on them; it hurt that the gifts of such a promising protégé would have to be destroyed in such a way - and it hurt even more that they were unable to do anything about it.

Just do it, Masters... I don't know how much longer I can hold this... The mental voice was even weaker than it had been a moment ago - and barely hid the pain the boy was going through.

Master Loda took a deep breath, and glanced at her friend, who nodded. Heero... be strong. 

The youth gave a slight smile - that was the first time the Master had ever called him by his name; before, it was always "boy" or another similar phrase. Closing his eyes, he said as firmly as he could, I'm ready. 

The Adepts linked their thoughts, readying a powerful mental "explosion" - and aimed it straight at Heero. The youth clenched his face, biting back the scream that threatened to rise from his throat as he felt his Elemental gift being blasted apart. Just as the first wave of emptiness hit him, he sank into oblivion...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting up... huh?" The girl's confusion woke her from her groggy subconsciousness - enough for to register the unknown face peering over her.

"Easy there - you're still officially an invalid. I'm Healer Delia, by the way." 

Since it was almost impossible not to respond to the Healer's cheerful grin, Suri smiled back, trying to hide her bewilderment. "I'm Suriku, or Suri for short. Um... sorry, but exactly where am I?"

The Healer replied, "Well, have you ever heard of the Healers' Collegium? That's where we are - or rather, we're in one of the adjoining buildings."

If Suri was confused before, she became downright shocked - _The Healers' Collegium? That's on the palace grounds - why on earth would I be... oh. _The events of the previous day flashed in her mind, and she frowned slightly, asking, "What happened to me?"

"Mili and the others - they're the ones who brought you here - said that they would come and explain things to you later. All I know is that you've survived a rush of *really* powerful flood of Elemental power. That's why they brought you to me - I've had experience in that sort of thing."

"Do you mean you're an Elementalist?"

The Healer chuckled. "I wish I were. I'd give a lot to be able to blast people apart with a thought. But I'm stuck as a Healer - not that I'm complaining. But to answer your question, I meant that I've had experience with people who's energy channels have been damaged."

"Does energy pass through these... channels?"

"That's right - they're also called energy paths. For you, Elemental power passes through them. One of the first things you learn as an Apprentice Elementalist is to guard your channels so they only 'let in' as much energy as your gift can handle. Otherwise, you will basically explode from too much energy."

Suri paled. "Then why aren't I..."

"That's part of what Mili said he'd explain - he owes me an explanation as well, come to think of it. But your channels weren't unguarded - someone put a shield on it for you. You're still alive, at any rate."

The girl's frown deepened. "All I remember is a burning feeling... who would shield me, anyway?"

"Well, the thing is, an average person would have died if that sort of raw power hit them. And it was more than simple uncontrolled power - at least, that's what I concluded from the way the boys were speaking. So I'm guessing that you have a lot of potential - one of the Adepts probably shielded you."

Suri's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that if I hadn't had that amount of potential, they would have let me die?"

The Healer looked shocked. "Hellfires, of course not! We're not _that_ barbaric. My point was that only a person with the amount of potential you seem to harbour would need to be shielded. Think about it - an ungifted person cannot have energy channels in the first place, and someone with little-potential would have died. That makes my guess a good one, no?"

The girl relaxed slightly. _So maybe Mili *wasn't* lying - I do need training, or whatever they call it. But that doesn't excuse him for hiding his identity. But would I have followed him if I had known? Or would I have ran... that was what I felt like doing when I found out. But by the time he dragged me outside, I was too angry to run - shit, I was actually yelling at the crown prince of Sanq! _Her thoughts were interrupted when the Healer suddenly turned pale. "Delia?"

The Healer didn't seem to notice her - she was too busy blanching at the news she just received: De, hurry - emergency wing. Heero's come in... his channels are all raw, and his gift... oh gods. Just - come. Quickly. Delia could guess what happened - for all she had feigned ignorance to Suri, she actually had a pretty good idea of what happened at the grounds... enough to guess what the messenger left unsaid. _Oh gods indeed - if they had terminated his gift... _Outwardly, she slipped on a mask of calm, saying, "Suri, I'll have to go - they need me for an emergency. Do me a favour and don't run off, okay?"

Suri stared hard at the Healer, but nodded. "Go right ahead." Not that she could run off even if she had wanted to - the Healers' Collegium had been huge, even from the outside; she doubted anyone would be able to find their way around without assistance. As Delia hurried away, she thought, _I'd give a hell of a lot to know how you knew anybody needed you - but then again, maybe I won't. There have been rumours about telepathy, even at *our* level of society; she's just convinced me they were true. I just hope they aren't able to read minds... But if I can be an Elementalist, what is impossible? _With those thoughts swimming in her head, she drifted slowly back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the emergency wing, Delia and several Healers were struggling to remain impassive as they fed Healing energy into the channels of the boy in front of them - those paths were so heavily scorched that any type of Elemental force passing through in the near future would knock him unconscious. Yet those damages were nothing compared to the pathetic remnants of what had once been a powerful gift; a gift that had been destroyed to stop the flood of power from anihilating the youth completely.

Master Tumi looked on from his corner, ready to fight any energy lines that even strayed in Heero's direction. _This was precisely what that bastard intended - not only will Heero be unable to continue Elemental training for years, his emotional scars will last even longer. But if they expect him to give up - well, they're going to get a big surprise. He's not the type to forgive and forget... not until he has avenged himself, or died in the process. That's what I'm afraid of - nobody knows what type of person he is willing to become to get that revenge. But his gift at non-Elemental magic is considerable... if he wants vengeance, I have a feeling he will get it. But hellfires, he's only *thirteen*! What kind of monster will put a child through this torture?_

Notes:

__

You know, I seriously didn't mean to terminate Heero's gift - Suri was supposed to have done something, somehow. But ideas do seem to run away from people, don't they? And now that I think about it, that might turn out for the best after all... *wink*. But the magic will ease off a bit in the next chapter - only a bit, though. How can anybody survive with out magic? O_o

Since puppy dog eyes don't seem to work that well... *bats eyelashes innocently*. A review, pretty please? With a gallon of cherries on top?

... *choke, cough, spew* - so much for trying to be "cute"


	5. Shattered Dreams

Disclaimer: _Don't own anything except the comp I'm using right now - if I did, I'd have killed certain characters I don't like. As it is, I'll try not to let my bias get in the way. :)_

Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

Notes: _Thanks Shadow Dragon for reviewing! This part, in its way, is a turning point - you'll see what I mean._

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Part V: Shattered Dreams

"Duo?"

The braided boy gave the blonde a tight smile from his position on the couch, asking, "Do you know how he's doing?"

Quatre sent him a sympathetic look - in spite of their constant bickering, the cousins were close; seeing Heero in pain and being unable to do anything about it must have felt terrible. "He's still unconscious. Most of the channels are healing well, so non-Elemental energies should pass through okay. But his gift..." He trailed off, unsure how his friend would take it.

"Spit it out, Kat." Duo's face was grim.

The Arabian glanced at him, then nodded. "Nobody could do anything about it - the Adepts had been thorough with the termination. The gift will take at least a year to heal, and... and even then, it will never be the same."

"So in other words, he'll have lost the thing he cared most about - the bastards planned this well, didn't they?" The concern in Duo's voice turned quickly into anger. "Dammit, why did they choose him, of all people?"

Quatre shook his head; they all knew why Heero had been the target. [1] "I'm more worried about how Heero will change - he always had his sights on becoming an Elementalist. Now..."

Duo clenched his teeth. "He'll pull through - he's Magical gift is as strong as his Elemental one is... or had been. He just preferred the elements. And once he gets trained up in that..." He stopped as another figure peered through the doorway. "Come in, Mili."

The prince stepped through and perched on the edge of the couch. "Hey Duo, hey bro... how's he doing?"

Quatre repeated what he had told Duo, and Mili sighed. "I talked to Master Tumi earlier - he thinks Anokiv did it. The other Adept mages from Oz are accounted for, and they were nowhere near Sanq at the time; at least, that's what he told me."

"Anokiv Ronterdo? It's definitely Oz then." A frown crept into Quatre's face. "Isn't his father the chief Mage of Oz?"

Milliardo nodded. "That's right - the name is Bocherik Ronterdo, if I remember correctly. Who just happens to have a personal grudge against Sanq Elementalists."

For the first time that day, Duo looked interested. "What's that about?"

The prince smirked, hiding his relief at knowing that the braided youth had not sank into depression. "You were sleeping during lessons again, weren't you?"

Duo scowled back, regaining some of his usual vigour. "You should try having Master Birchen as a politics teacher - even _Kat_ was drifting off."

The blonde blushed beet red as his half-brother sent him a reproving frown. "It was only that once! And besides, I was up half the night at that meeting with father..."

Mili narrowed his eyes, then smirked again. "Don't worry - believe it or not, I've had him before, when Master Gormiak was on leave. He's boring enough to send the _books_ to sleep. Anyway, I'll cut it down a bit - do you remember when Sanq was allied with Oz against the Baltors? I'm talking about the period when arguments were starting to break out because of moral differences." At their nod, he continued, "Well, Borcherik and Master Tumi were around forty, and both thought the other was weaker. Somehow, they got permission to hold a duel, but instead of fighting Bocherik himself, Tumi sent his apprentice - that's Master Loda, if you can believe it - in his place. Bocherik thought Tumi was mocking him, and basically lost control of his anger, so Loda didn't have much of a hard time defeating him. Afterwards, Bocherik was convinced that Tumi tricked him, and that Sanq Elementalists had no honour whatsoever. He swore he'd pay us back for shaming him publicly."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "I take it that Bocherik was one of those who didn't train in emotion-control?"

The prince shrugged. "Probably - it's strange how the Oz Mages seem to like ignoring the basics so much."

A low voice offered, "Maybe not. One of their advantages, magically speaking, is when their Mages go berserk - the unexpected power increase has killed quite a few of our own Mages." The youth at the doorway entered, nodding at the three of them. "I've just spoken to the healers - Heero's woken up. Tumi has spoken to him already, and Wufei is with him right now."

Duo's face brightened. "Is he... is he alright?"

The boy's emerald eyes remained expressionless, making Quatre frown, in spite of the reply, "As well as can be expected - go see for yourself."

Duo nodded and left, with the prince following closely. Trowa turned to the blonde. "Aren't you going?"

Quatre stared straight at him, then sent privately, You aren't telling us everything. What's wrong with Heero? 

Trowa returned the look, before replying, Come, I'll tell you as we go. He walked off, and when the blonde followed, he replied, Physically, Heero is stable, but he's shut everyone out. He spoke about thirty words in all the ten minutes I was there, and not one of them really came from *him* - if I didn't know better, I'd say he was drugged. 

Quatre's frown deepened - Trowa would have to be really worried to say that much at once. What *did* he say? 

Trowa raised an eyebrow slightly. Aside from the 'hn's? Not much, really. Basically, he said that he felt fine, and that we should stop worrying. 

And about his gift? The blonde persisted.

He said he'd manage - I have a feeling that's all he'll say. Maybe Duo will get through to him. 

The Arabian's bit his lips, and they walked to the Healers' Collegium in silence. _I sure hope so._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero kept his face expressionless as he answered his companions' questions, most of which were variations of, "Are you alright?" He knew they weren't asking about his physical injuries as much as how he was feeling, but his reply remained the same. "Hn. I'm fine; stop worrying." The concern showed clearly in their faces, but he couldn't afford to waste time on emotions - not if he was to get revenge. _That's all I have left - those Oz bastards have taken away everything I've worked for. And I *will* pay them back... no matter what._

*** flashback ***

"Heero, are you alright?" The greying man peered over him, nothing in his attire suggesting that he was one of the most powerful Adept Elementalists in Sanq.

"I'm fine, Master Tumi - you don't need to worry." Ignoring the dull ache within his body, Heero sat up, determined not to show any sign of weakness.

Though unconvinced, the Adept nodded, taking a seat by the bed. "Heero, I won't make you uncomfortable by fussing over you, but I need to know whether you know anything we don't, about the... incident."

Heero's eyes darkened, but his voice was impassive as he asked, "From when I felt my control slip?"

Tumi nodded, betraying nothing of his worry - _he is too calm; it's unnatural. It's as though he has shut himself off... this is what I was afraid of._

"There was one minute left before the second task was due to finish. I felt an explosion outside, and sensed power flowing into my energy channels, so I reassumed control of the paths. Filtering the energy worked for a while, but it was too strong. If the Masters hadn't terminated my gift, I would have died, and the power would have destroyed the section of the grounds unguarded by shields."

The Adept became even more worried, though he was careful to hide it. _Dammit, he sounds like he's reciting history, not something that totally changed his life barely a day ago. _Outwardly, he merely asked, "So we were right to evacuate?"

The boy kept his voice monotonous. "It was a good security measure, but unnecessary - Master Loda and Master Simera would have done what they did before the situation got out of hand."

__

"Done what they did"... hellsfire, we destroyed his dreams! "Could you sense where the extra power came from?"

"An external source. I didn't have time to trace it, but that amount of power was unnatural."

The Adept nodded soberly. "We - Master Yurino and I - did trace it, and you are right. One of the main energy sources had been uprooted - we suspect Anokiv Ronterdo. The power... it was only attracted to strong, unguarded energy paths."

"I know - but it was more than that." For the first time, Heero allowed anger creep into his voice. "The power was being fed - and not purely from natural sources. And it was not simply attracted to me, but _directed_ at me."

Despite all his training, Master Tumi could not hide his shock. Raw elemental energy, by nature, flowed everywhere - Elementalists simply harnessed power from the infinite lines of energy around them. At most, the power could be charged, and thus become attracted to certain channels, but to actually *control* raw power... _I would get burned up. Raw power is only raw before it touches energy channels; to handle it, I would have to work on the Elemental planes themselves. Which means I wouldn't be able to control the amount of power I touch. And if that's the case... hellfires, _nobody's_ gift can be that strong! It's impossible! Even the strongest Adept would burn up almost instantly. So how did Anokiv manage... _"Heero, are you absolutely sure?"

The boy looked straight at the Adept. "Yes."

The Adept almost flinched from the utter certainty in the cobalt eyes. _He knows what it means. But the boy still wants vengeance... I can tell. _Outwardly, the Elementalist asked one more question, though he knew the answer already. "Then what are you going to do?"

Again, the reply was simple. "I'll defeat him."

__

Or die in the process - I know you, young pupil. Better than you think. And the most we can do is help you, because we won't be able to change your mind. I only hope that you won't give up your humanity for the sake of that... vengeance. "Then good luck, Heero. If you need our help, you need only to ask."

The youth nodded in acknowledgement, and the Adept left, trying to shake himself clear of the chill he felt when looking into those icy, inhuman eyes.

__

*** end flashback ***

"Mili."

The prince tried to hide his surprise as he turned to his friend; Heero hadn't spoken directly to any of them since they arrived. "Heero?"

"The Healers say I'll be totally stable by next Monday. I need somebody to re-enrol me for lessons at the Mages' Collegium before that day - I had passed the Journeyman exam before I quit, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Mili blinked. _Why ask me? Duo would have been willing to do it for you - and you know you'll hurt him by asking me instead. What's with you, Heero - how much have you changed? _"Heero... you've only just awoken. Are you sure you'll be able to..." He was cut off as the other boy spoke.

__

"Don't worry about me. I've already sent a messenger to confirm my resumation of other lessons, but I need someone to charge the fees for Magic lessons to my parents' account." Heero's voice was monotonous but firm, leaving the prince no choice but to nod. After his companions left, Heero let his mask drop, but his thoughts remained the same. _I'll pay you back, Anokiv Ronterdo. No matter what. You'll regret the day you messed with me. That's my goal; that's my mission. And I never fail my missions._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Five days later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri was becoming impatient; it had been almost a week since she arrived at the hospital, and in all that time, Mili hadn't come to "explain" things to her. _I know he's the prince, but if he's too busy, why doesn't he just let me leave? Not that I've got anywhere to go to... _At that moment, a knock came from the door. "Come in." _Now who would come visit me? Unless..._

"Hi, Suri - how do you feel?" The prince entered, shutting the door behind him. "I'm sorry for taking so long - it's been rather... hectic."

"Um... that's okay. And I'm fine. Uh... sorry for yelling at you last time." Suri fought to control the blush rising to her cheeks. _Dammit, I'm getting flustered again! I mean, he's only the *prince*, after all - wait. *Only* the prince? I must be going crazy..._

Mili grinned, and sat down beside her. "I thought that was my fault? My apologies for it anyway - hiding my identity, I mean."

"Uh - well, we'll call it quits then." _He's right - I can imagine how differently people act when they know he's the prince. That's what happened with me! But he should have given me the benefit of the doubt - now I'll just have to prove him wrong, won't I? _With that, she made a conscious effort at relaxing. "So... do you know what happened? Delia wasn't sure about most of it, so she just explained what channels were, and how they needed to be guarded."

The prince obliged, saying, "Do you remember when we were walking towards the forest?" At her nod, he continued, "Well, you see, energy can be sensed everywhere by people with the Elemental gift, but in reality, all the energy lines are joined to a certain place on the Elemental Plane. When many of these lines are combined, they form an energy source, and these sources contain a *lot* of power. What happened was that one of the sources had been disconnected from the plane, or uprooted, resulting in a lot of rogue power. That power was basically attracted to unguarded energy channels - in other words, it was attracted to you." He cocked his head, watching her reaction.

Suri frowned. "And I couldn't handle that much at once. But one thing I don't understand - Delia mentioned something about raw power. What is that?"

"Well, energy that hasn't entered anybody's channels is referred to as raw power. As far as I know, you can't control that power - you need to harness it, or draw it into your energy channels first."

"Ah. So the energy basically went berserk, and chased after anybody with unguarded energy channels." She hesitated, wondering whether or not her next question would be appropriate. "Um... if you don't mind me asking, what happened to the boy - Heero? Is he okay?"

The prince paused, considering how much information he should tell her, before opting for the truth, if only an abbreviated version of it. "He was hurt - worse than you, actually, because the energy was attracted mainly to him, and was rushing in too quickly for him to shield himself. The Masters... they had to terminate his gift to stop him from blowing apart."

Suri didn't bother hiding her wince. "That sounds bad, even to me. I mean, he would have cared a lot about his gift to get through to the Master exam, right?"

Mili's reply was simple. "It was his life."

The girl's face softened, sensing the pain that the prince hid beneath his easy-going tarade. "I'm sorry. That sounds dumb, I know, but..."

The prince shook his head. "No, it's alright - thank you. He'll pull through, his other gifts are as strong as his Elemental one. I'm more worried about..." Mili cut himself off abruptly. He could still see the anguish in Duo's eyes as he tried, time and time again, to reach his cousin - and was rebuffed, each time. He could remember Heero's reply - both the impassive, monotonous words and the accompanying stare. _I'm more worried about what you've become, the way you are cutting yourself off. And the way all your attention is focussed on becoming perfect, at mastering your gifts, and leaving you no time to be human..._

Suri watched silently as the prince withdrew into his thoughts, knowing better than to ask about what he left unsaid. When he sent her an apologetic glance, she simply pretended nothing happened, instead asking a question that had been on her mind since he said "primarily" at their first meeting. "Was this the other reason the shields were placed on the grounds?"

Mili shook himself clear of his reverie, rather startled that she had noticed his slip of tongue that morning. _There's no point hiding it now, is there? _"Yes. Enemies of the examinee or their families, or of the Sanq kingdom, would be able to attack freely if the shields did not exist. We have yet to find out what happened, this time, but once we do, we'll be able to stop that as well."

She nodded. "Did you say something about Elementalist training being free?" _I'll have to learn, now, won't I? At least next time, I might not get knocked out without knowing what the hell happened._

The prince smiled, secretly relieved that she had agreed to be trained - any type of gift was dangerous, when uncontrolled. "Sure. Are you feeling well enough to walk for a while?"

Suri rolled her eyes. "I've been lying there for the past five days. Where are we going?"

Mili slipped on a grin. "Elementalists' Collegium. Prepare for training, girl - the teachers there are tough. Especially if you get the Master I think you're going to get."

She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing - _all in good time. And besides, it doesn't seem *that* hard to act normal around him, does it?_

Notes:

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[1] Did I get this point through? I think I dropped a couple of hints, the most prominent of which can be found at the end of Chapter III (in the conversation between Master Tumi and Master Yurino. And Heero is referred to as the "most potentially powerful" Elementalist in Sanq, so... 

So, Heero's turned into the Perfect Soldier, and Suri's started training. The story has finally begun. ^_^_ To clarify some points: Mili and Quatre are half-brothers (they're 14 and 12, respectively). They're last names will be explained, and there will be more information about everyone's parents later, but I'm the type who lets bits of info drop as the story goes. Sowie _:P_. The fic already gives Suri, Duo and Heero's ages (12, 12 and 13), and there are small hints that Wufei is 12, and Trowa is 13. By the way, I know that the speech is a bit too civilised, but it will probably loosen up when the war starts, since there won't be any nobles or parents around to check their etiquette :)._

Anyway, please keep the reviews coming in... hmm, what should I do this time? Oh yeah - *holds gun up*. If I don't get a review, omae o korosu! (Just kidding! O_o_ )_


	6. Story of a Girl

Disclaimer: _The characters aren't mine, but their backgrounds within this fic *are* mine. So are my original characters and the magicky bits I put in! So "omae o korosu" to anyone who hurts them! *over-protective mummy face*_

Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

Notes: _Thanks to my readers and reviewers! And here are my brief replies:_

Duo's ONLY Chick: As if I would shoot such a cool reviewer! *grins* And believe it or not, there's going to be a *lot* of different types of magic coming in... just you wait!

Landlady of the Universe: That was part of the reason I terminated Heero's gift, actually. Cruel, aren't I? But I'm glad you like Suri - I put her in because I needed someone with her personality and her background. As for her and Mili... hmm, at the moment, she has a one-in-six chance of going together with him. That will change soon, since all the so-called female counterparts (*cough*... I hate some of the relationships. You'll know which ones they are, by the end.) will be coming in. I'll leave it to my readers to guess what relationships will turn out - I have them all worked out. *evil laugh* And yes, Treize and most other characters appear, but some of their backgrounds might turn out to be *very* unexpected.

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Part VI: Story of a Girl

"Hi, Duo... are you okay?" The soft question startled Duo out of his reverie, and he glanced up, quickly pasting a smile on his face.

"Hey, Kat - 'course I'm fine. Since when am I not?"

The blonde knelt beside him, careful not to move too close - the braided boy tended to become touchy when he thought people were pitying him. "Since Heero's Master Exam, maybe?"

For a moment, raw pain flashed in Duo's eyes, but it was quickly hidden beneath his joker's mask. Turning away, he replied, "I'm fine, Q, honestly. He just needs time to get over it, that's all..."

Quatre said nothing, simply putting his arm around his friend and pulling him close, offering the braided boy a chance to let his emotions out. For Duo, that was enough - he buried his face in the proffered shoulder and wept, allowing himself the comfort of the blonde's embrace, if only for a while. The Arabian held his trembling friend as he sobbed, letting go only when he felt Duo's body tense up, as though wanting to pull away. Then, Quatre leaned back, watching the boy compose himself. "Want to talk?"

Duo was silent for a long moment, but just as the blonde was about to lose hope, he whispered, "We used to be close, you know. I mean, sure we were at each other's backs all the time, but he knew me better than anyone else. Almost as though he was a brother. And he was the one who kept me wanting to live, when Solo..."

The blonde bit his lip, remembering Duo's despair after his older brother died of a plague four years earlier. _That was when Heero started looking out for him, coaxing and taunting him at the same time, helping him forget. I've never forgotten that, even when things returned to normal and Heero went back to his seemingly arrogant self. _Outwardly, he remained quiet, letting Duo continue at his own pace.

"But now... he's changed. Hellsfire, he doesn't even talk to us any more! And when I talk to him, all he ever does is say 'hn'... he doesn't even bother calling me a baka. Before, he would have tossed sarcastic remarks at me until I choked." The braided boy took a deep breath, fighting against the tears that threatened to fall again. "All he's done during the last five days was practice and more practice - if he could have gone without food and sleep, I swear he would have. Those Oz bastards - they've killed him, dammit!"

Duo looked almost as shocked as Quatre as the words left his lips. "I-I'm sorry, Q. It's just so damned frustrating when he doesn't let anyone near him... not me, not you, not even his parents. And I can't do anything about it!"

The blonde quickly regained his composure, chiding himself for becoming startled in the first place. _Some Healer trainee _I_ am - now he's going to feel guilty for saying that. _"It's okay, Duo. Honestly. And they've totally shattered his dreams - _you_ know how important those dreams were to him. If you have to blame someone, it shouldn't be yourself."

After a long moment, Duo nodded, and gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Q. You reminded me of who the enemy *truly* is." Then, his face hardened, violet eyes darkening until they were barely recognisable. "And I'm going to send the bastard to hell. That goes for *anyone* who hurts people I care about - even if I have to become death itself." Abruptly, he stood up, offering his hand to the blonde.

Quatre felt his blood chill as he hauled himself up... and saw the grinning joker once more. Only then did he notice how the recent events had affected his friend, and how much lay hidden beneath the laughing facade. _He means it,_ the blonde realised. _He really means what he said. If anyone hurt people close to him, they will die - or Duo will die trying to kill them. Oh gods... let's pray it never comes to that._

His thoughts were interrupted as Wufei and Trowa entered... with Heero following slightly behind them. _Oh yeah - Heero was due to come out tonight!_ "Hey guys, hey Heero. How are you feeling?"

The Japanese nodded at him, his face expressionless. "Hn. As well as can be."

Duo also grinned as he greeted his cousin, but Quatre saw the uncertainty in the violet orbs. _Poor Duo - he doesn't deserve this. Just as Heero didn't deserve what happened to him._

Trowa's emerald eyes flickered around the room - if they noticed Duo's uneasiness, he didn't show it. "Where's Mili?"

The blonde gestured to the couches, and they all sat down. "He was visiting Suri - trying to get her to accept training, I think."

Cobalt eyes narrowed slightly. "Suri?"

Duo's explained, "That's a girl we met on the day..." _Shit, how am I s'posed to say *that*?_

Quatre stepped in, earning himself a grateful look from the braided boy. "Six days ago. Heero..."

The Japanese features remained inscrutable. "Spit it out. And stop avoiding the event - it happened. Nothing will change it."

The blunt statement made Quatre wince, though he hid it well. Surprisingly, it was Trowa who continued, "She's a commoner. Mili brought her to the stadium, but didn't tell us how they met, only that she was a rogue Elementalist. After we left, the same power that attacked you knocked her out. Tumi and Yurino shielded her, and we brought her to the Healers."

If the situation hadn't been so awkward, Quatre would have smiled at the way Trowa condensed so many events into such a short explanation, but as it was, he merely looked on, carefully watching for any reaction from Heero.

The Japanese just nodded, expressionlessly. _She must have been the one I saw right before the exam. And since the energy was only attracted to strong, unguarded channels, she must have an above-average amount of potential. _His eyes snapped upwards as footsteps approached - _two_ sets of footsteps.

"Hey guys. How are you feeling, Heero?" The prince's voice sounded from the doorway.

After Heero repeated his reply to Quatre, the blonde smiled at his half-brother and the girl standing behind him. "Come in, Mili. Hi, Suri - remember me?"

The girl blushed self-consciously for a moment. "Uh... hi, Quatre. Didn't you save me from an... uh, 'overgrown hormone' last time?" At the rather shocked expressions on some of the faces, Suri blushed harder, looking down at her feet. _My stupid tongue just *had* to kick in, didn't it? Never mind that I said I'd try and act normal around these people - they're probably all princes and nobles or something! And I highly doubt all of them are as easy-going as Mili..._

To her surprise, Quatre quickly got over his shock and laughed with Mili. Even the Asian youth - _Wufei, I think - _wore a smirk, because the usually talkative Duo had suddenly become tongue-tied, and was actually turning rather red.

"Oh, good one, Suri - I haven't seen anyone shut _him_ up in a long time. But I don't think you've met Heero yet, so..." Mili turned and gestured at the boy with piercing blue eyes. "Suri, this is Heero Yuy. Heero, this is Suriku..."

"Just Suri. I... I don't exactly know my last name. Um, nice to meet you." The raven-haired girl, nodded at the Japanese, who returned the nod. As she caught a glimpse of his face, the girl paled slightly. _Oh shit. You're *that* Heero... should have realised, shouldn't I? Mili *did* say you were his friend. I'm not sure how I should act around you, you know - especially not now that I've been accepted into the Elementalists' Collegium. _

Fortunately for her, she was saved the trouble of making conversation when Trowa spoke up quietly. "Would you tell us a bit about yourself?"

Suri nodded, hiding her relief. "Uh... did Mili tell you how we met?" When Trowa shook his head, she continued, "Well, frankly, I was serving in an inn and spilled coffee on him."

At that, Duo found his tongue. "You did *what*?!" The braided boy's eyes twinkled, and his face formed a smirk. "Now I'm *really* glad you're here... you might give me some tips."

__

This, I can handle - you watch out, braided hormone. My tongue can fight too. Those thoughts having flashed in her mind, Suri smiled at him sweetly. "Would Mr. Hormone like a personal demonstration?"

Quatre and Mili promptly began laughing again, and this time, even Trowa had to hide a smile. Suri raised an eyebrow, and the braided boy raised his arms in mock surrender. "Okay, okay - I yield. This time. I'm out of practice, you know - there aren't that many people who run around spilling coffee on Mili. Anyway, weren't you telling us about yourself?"

The girl flashed a quick grin at him. "I was, until certain hormones offered to become target practice. Anyway, I spilled the coffee because I suddenly had a *really* bad headache. But since I had had a couple of those headaches before, at rather inconvenient times, I got fired - for the eighth time in eight months, and from eight different inns. A record, I think. After I got out, a man basically tried to assault me - I was being careless. I panicked, and flamed him, without knowing how. Then I fainted, and when I woke up, Mili was there." Suri shrugged. "That's it, really." _And acting "normal" isn't that hard either. Who knows - I might actually end up fitting in around here._

Quatre raised his eyebrow as the casual way the girl talked about assault. _Is that what life is like, out there? If it is, I can understand why she has such a sharp tongue - she would have needed it. But her gift must be strong, if she managed to scorch a man and not burn herself in the process. That must be why Mili brought her back._

Wufei, however, looked curious. "But onna, why were you working in the first place? You can't be that much older than Maxwell." He gestured at Duo.

"Onna?"

The braided boy was quick with his reply, "It's an insult to your femininity. Now you can go sharpen your tongue on *him* instead."

Sure enough, Suri let her eyes narrow. "If Mr. Hormone is twelve, then no, I'm not older than him. And I was working because I couldn't afford to sit around and look down on arrogant *males* all day."

Before the Chinese could reply, Mili sent him a warning look. Turning to Suri, the prince said, "He makes a habit of insulting women - you should stay around to keep him in line. But seriously, would you mind telling us about your past? I mean, I assumed you didn't have parents or relatives because you were working, but aside from that, I don't know anything. Is there anyone you might need to contact?"

After sending Wufei another glare, Suri shook her head. "There isn't much, you know - you're right about me not having parents or relatives. My earliest memory was when I was seven. And I don't know how I knew that, so don't ask. I was in a house - just a normal, smallish one you'd find along the streets - and the only other person living there was an old lady. I called her Granny, and she told me that she found me on her doorstep one night. Wrapped in gypsy clothing. There was no note whatsoever, so I don't know where I came from - one day, I might find the gypsies and ask them, but it doesn't really bother me that much. I mean, why find out about the past when the future has so much potential?"

Glancing around, she continued, "So anyway, I lived with her until I was eleven, basically doing things she couldn't do, chores and the such. Then one night, I was out buying fruit - she sold pies and preserves, you see - and when I got back, everything had turned into ashes. Literally. The whole street had been burnt to the ground, because some damned fool of a parent decided to let his kid play with fire, and didn't bother watching over him."

Suri heard the hatred in her own voice, but didn't care - _let these people hear it as it is. Let them see that life isn't easy for us commoners._ "The ironic thing is, both the kid and his parents got out fine - the fire didn't spread all that fast. But Granny couldn't walk properly, and nobody even bothered checking up on her! She had been living there for decades as well..." At that point, Suri's voice trailed off. _Dammit - I won't let them think I'm weak. Even though I'm a female. Even though I'm a commoner, and they're all nobles..._

Shaking herself, she resumed, "So I ended up on the streets. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to find work - a lot of people knew Granny, you see. For the first couple of months, I worked at an inn, then the headaches started coming in. Every few days or so, my head would feel like it was exploding, and if I was holding any type of drink at the time..." She grinned, slightly self-conscious now that she was doing all the talking. "You can guess what happened. So I got kicked out of one inn after another - as I said before, it had been eight in eight months. And that's basically my life, to this point."

Silence lasted for quite a long time, as the audience pondered the girl's story. Suri fiddled with her raven-coloured curls, growing all the more aware of the elegance of her surroundings. _Maybe I shouldn't have been so direct after all - now, they might think even worse of me..._

Sensing something of her discomfort, Quatre broke the silence. "Now we owe you some details about us, don't we? How about you come back tomorrow - it *is* rather late, after all. And there's a hunt on _really_ early tomorrow morning..." He gave a slight grimace.

Catching on, Duo grinned. "How about I escort you back? You're boarding at the Collegium, aren't you?"

Suri nodded, smiling slightly at both of them. "That would be nice - and I _should_ know what kind of people I'm insulting. And I'd swear this place was a maze."

The prince grinned. "It is, actually - something to do with defences. Do you think you'll be safe with Duo?"

The braided boy pretended to bristle. "Hey! I *do* have honour, you know. And anyway, if I *do* have to whip someone with my tongue, I'll do it where people can appreciate it."

Both Suri and Mili laughed, and the girl stood. "Then I trust you, Mr. Hormone. For now, anyway."

Duo gave a mock bow and led off, with Suri following after wishing all of them 'good night'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the pair left, Quatre grinned at his half-brother. "She's nice - and anyone who can do *that* to Duo will fit in perfectly."

Mili returned the smile. "I like her, actually. I must enjoy having coffee spilt on me."

"She's sharp enough, for an onna." Wufei's voice was gudging. "She'd just better not get in the way. If she does, I won't bother acting as though I like her - that would be dishonourable."

Trowa spoke up quietly. "I don't really think she'll get in the way - and she has been through enough to deserve a chance."

Quatre glanced at the tall youth, whose emerald eyes were expressionless. _The fact that she doesn't know about her past touches you, doesn't it, Trowa? Maybe you are more similar than you realised..._

Wufei snorted. "_If_ she was telling the truth, then..."

A monotonous voice cut in, "She was telling the truth."

Everyone turned to the Japanese who hadn't spoken more than ten words all night. The prince raised an eyebrow. "Truth spell?"

Heero nodded curtly, cobalt eyes as inscrutable as Trowa's. _But only the surface of the truth. I have a feeling her past was worse than she made it sound - if that's the case, I'll need to find out about it. She might be dangerous - and I can't afford distractions. Much less one with such a powerful gift..._

Notes:

__

So, the Shinigami side of Duo appears, if only briefly. And I finally explained *something* about the Suri's background. I'll do the same for the others soon, I promise. O_o Remember, these chapters are only a prologue to the story - after all, Heero is only 13, and Duo 12. Soon, time will skip ahead to the *real* story, and the things might actually start happening! And if you have noticed, this fic steals quite a lot (you know, personalities, certain events, characters) from the actual anime, but tosses them all into a new backdrop. I hope it's turning out okay ^.^ 

Oh yeah... threatening to kill people wasn't that nice, was it? Oh well, gomen for that... let's see, how about "omae o kisu" instead?

*splutters* ... then again, maybe not. O_o Just please, PLEASE review!


	7. Protégé

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Disclaimer: _The characters aren't mine, but their backgrounds within this fic *are* mine. So are my original characters and the magicky bits I put in! And "omae o korosu" to anyone who hurts them! *over-protective mother face*_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

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Notes: _As always, I LUV reviews!!! So thanks to all my reviewers. *bounces around the room, then crashes into the monitor* And here goes my replies:_

Braided Baka Girl: That would be telling, wouldn't it? *grin* But the story will end with the couples I approve of. And as a hint, read the warning - there will be exactly one relationship of the type mentioned. *wink*

Finny: *revives Finny with a bucket of freezing_ water*... hehe, j/k! I'm not altogether sure what you mean by trouble, but both the "dumping" and the magic will definitely continue!_

Landlady of the Universe: I'm updating often because I live in Australia, and it happens to be the Summer hols right now. *grin* I'm trying to get a *lot* more info on Treize and Duke Dermail (right down to the little personality things, like whether they snore, or whether they like little fairies painted on their sinks... then again, maybe not O_o), so any good links will be appreciated :) . And about Suri - she'll change too, somewhere along the way. So yup, you'll just have to wait!

$!$!$!: Oh well... can't blame a gal for trying :). And strictly, this doesn't count as a prologue (aren't most prologues one chapter? oh well...) - more like Part One, actually, but I like the word. *grin* And reviews aren't counted as wasting space - you can rev. a hundred times if you like! (by the way, cool name ^.^)

Duo's ONLY Chick: Suri's going to be fun to write, what with her sharp tongue and all. And the commoner/noble thing has something to do with the political system - after all, no monarchs can be perfect. And with Oz pressing on them all the time... more on that soon!

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Part VII: Protégé

"Hey Suri!" A rap sounded from the doorway. "You coming?"

The girl grinned as she opened the door of her assigned room; she had been looking forward to this evening. _I guess I shouldn't complain, but it isn't easy finding friends when all the other people in my classes are *years* younger than me. And too many of them fit into the "spoilt highborn brat" category - rich, stuck up and convinced that their parents' money makes them superior. Which, in short, means bad company. I'm actually surprised Duo and the rest of them are any different. _"Hi Hormone. You're early."

Duo stuck his tongue out at her. "You *have* to use that nickname, don't you? Seems like the world is intent on insulting me these days. And I assumed you wouldn't take hours getting dressed up like the other people around here."

Suri wrinkled her nose. "You're right about the last bit - if I had to sit around fluttering my eyelashes all day, I'd die. Not that I have anything to get dressed in."

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, several girls appeared from the hallway and swarmed around the braided boy. Suri fought to keep from laughing out loud, and Duo sent her a quick smirk. "Whoa! Hey, steady there, ladies. Never seen a good looking guy before?"

Giggles erupted, and Duo gently pulled his arm away. "Can't go with you today, I'm afraid - Mili wants me. But if anyone is free tomorrow..." He winked suggestively, sending the 'ladies' into fits off giggles once more. 

After several rounds of conversation along the same lines, the braided boy finally succeeded in getting away. "Whew. That *was* fun, you must admit. I'm kinda popular around here, you know?"

Suri snorted. "If that kind of company is what 'popular' highborns get, I think I prefer life on the streets. Though I wouldn't mind having a bit of money - hell, one of their dresses can buy a week's worth of board and food!"

Duo smirked. "Jealous of me, are you?" _She's more conscious about her station than she lets on... I'll have to get Mili to work something out. A part-time job, maybe. No charity, though - she'll get offended._

"As if. And are there any maps around? It seems kind of stupid to have someone walk me to and from this place all the time."

The braided boy narrowed his eyes. "Is that a roundabout way of saying you don't like my company?"

Suri gave a mock sigh. " It was a straightforward way of asking for a map. Has it ever occurred to you that some people around here actually say things that don't include a romantic message?"

Duo replied cheerfully, "Nope."

The girl rolled her eyes and walked on, keeping her eyes out for landmarks. _He's fun to be with - I just hope he remembers the map. If he doesn't, I'll make sure I drop a comment about hormones around those female friends of his._ Suddenly, she felt Duo's arm tugging on her own. "Huh?"

The braided boy shook his head, point silently at a small field hidden by a cluster of trees. Following his gaze, Suri stifled a gasp - standing in the field was Heero, and an amazing network of iridescent streaks surrounded him. _It's energy,_ she thought in awe. _But... it doesn't feel like the Elements. And wasn't his gift terminated?_

Quietly, Duo led her away, and once she thought they were a safe distance off, she asked, "Duo, exactly what type of energy was that?"

His voice was soft as he replied, "Magic. When Heero was eight, he had been accepted into both the Elementalists' and Mages' Collegium - that was amazing enough in itself, because any type of Magical power is rare. What's more, he had equal potential in both, and was one of the youngest ever to pass both exams. But he always liked the Elements better, so after he finished the Journeyman Magic exam, he quit and concentrated purely on Elemental studies. Now I guess he has taken up Magical studies again."

Suri glanced quickly at Duo, noting the unusual seriousness in his face. _He cares a lot about his cousin, doesn't he? _Outwardly, she asked, "What's the difference between the two?"

"Well, you have heard about Elemental energy, right?" She nodded, and he continued, "Magical energy is like that, except it's more like raw Elemental power than anything else. And by that, I mean it *stays* raw when you handle it. Magical energy is pure power, and if you are an Adept Mage, you can do some of the basic things Elementalists do, though it takes more effort. For example, if you want to light a fire, you take the energy and send the energy particles moving around a small area really quickly, and the friction makes sparks appear."

"So in its way, Mages are the most powerful."

"Yeah - and definitely the most uncommon."

They walked in silence for a while, and when Duo spoke again, it was in his usual teasing manner. "But you know, even if you had a map, you wouldn't be able to get past the guards."

"Huh? Oh. Where are you taking me, anyway?" Suri caught the change of topic, but kept quiet about it - _some things, after all, are private_.

"Mili's private sitting room. That's where we were yesterday - that's basically where we all go, each night. It has been a tradition for years."

"You've known each other for that long?"

"Since we were born. We were all born within two years, after a period of 'no-baby-ness'. Funny, really - a whole mob of ladies decided to get pregnant, then _we_ appeared. I can imagine the look on the Palace nurses' faces."

For some reason, the simple statement made Suri self-conscious again. _By implication, that means they were *all* brought up by palace nurses. Hell, what have I gotten myself in to?_ "You must all be important, then."

It was a statement, not a question, and Duo took it as such. _She's feeling awkward again - damn all the crap about station and rank. To hell. I mean, she's the first girl I've met in ages who doesn't giggle at every word I say! _Widening his grin, he answered simply, "Wasn't that what you were going to find out tonight? I'd hate to spoil your surprise."

Suri rolled her eyes, but before she knew it, Duo had led her past the guards and into a mansion which she took to be Mili's quarters. _Hell - Mili's rich. I mean, I know he's the prince and all, but with this building, he could buy the entire town I grew up in! And to think I didn't even notice when he took me here yesterday - then again, I guess I was still in shock at having been accepted into the Collegium. _"Hey, but where do you find the time to meet every night? I mean, nobles have duties and that sort of thing, don't they?"

Duo grimaced. "Tell me about it. Meetings, court sessions, parties, so-called 'informal' gatherings... the parties are okay, mind you, if you're like me and enjoy female company, but for Wufei, they're as bad as hell. It's funny, actually, if you watch his reaction. See, as a rule, when a noble family has more than one daughter, the daughters are encouraged to find a suitable match - the higher the guy's station, the better. So all of us are stuck with girls swarming around us. But back to your question, it is considered appropriate for to-be-monarchs to have a group of people he can trust - we just happen to be those people. These meetings are as much a part of his formal schedule as anything else. Mind you, basically anyone can ask Mili to bring them up here, and he wouldn't be able to refuse, but if the person is bad company, _we_ generally pretend to be bad company until they get sick of us and leave." With that, the braided boy walked through a doorway, dragging Suri along with him. 

"Hi to both of you - you're early." Quatre waved at them from his position on the couch. The boy next to him nodded a greeting.

"Hi Quatre, hi Trowa." The pair walked in and Duo pulled Suri down on the opposite couch. Then, the braided boy smirked. "Not like you aren't."

Trowa fixed his emerald stare on the boy, and said quietly, "You're the one who is always late."

Quatre smiled at the taller youth, then turned to the Suri. "Mili and Wufei should be here soon." He hesitated, then added, "Heero too, if he's coming."

Duo's tensed slightly, but Trowa's face remained calm as he said, "He'll come."

Suri glanced at him quizzically. "You seem certain."

The tall boy gave a small smile. "I am. He won't say much, but he'll be here."

The girl nodded, taking his word for it. _He's quiet, but as Granny used to say, "If people don't watch you, you can watch them." I have a feeling he notices more than he lets on. _Sure enough, within minutes, the mentioned trio entered and took different positions in the room.

After greeting them, Duo turned to his cousin. "Did training go okay today?"

The cobalt-eyed boy nodded curtly. "The Masters say I will be able to take the Masters Exam within two years."

Shock flashed across all the boys' faces, though some of them hid it better than others. There was a moment of silence, then the braided boy grinned once more. "You seem to have a knack of breaking all the records. I mean, the youngest Mage taking the Masters Magic Exam was eighteen - you'll only be around fifteen! Talent lies in our blood, hey?"

Suri turned to Heero in time to catch the almost invisible quirk of his lips, but it disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. _He *is* powerful, then. Really powerful. But he makes me uneasy... too damned inhuman. I mean, sure Trowa is quiet, but he *does* speak a tad more than absolutely necessary. Heero... well, he may be perfect in terms of ability and talent, but he's about as approachable as that bed I sleep on. And _it_, at least, is *soft*._

Turning to her, Mili asked, "So. You're here to find out about us - what do you want to know?"

Suri frowned for a second, then replied, "Well, firstly... I want to know _what_ you are. I mean, the only thing I know is that Mili's the heir. And... probably something about your families. You know, who your parents are, whether you have siblings and all the rest of it."

The prince nodded. "Fair enough. My parents are the King and Queen, but you know that. I don't have any full-blood siblings, but," he grinned at the blonde, "I do have half-brother. Quatre's mother is Father's second wife, an Arabian named Quaterine Winner."

The girl raised her eyebrows. _*Another* prince? Hellsfire, you'd think that they'd actually *tell* you this sort of stuff when you meet. _"So Quatre, are you the next in line after Mili?"

The blonde shook his head. "Only children of their Majesties can claim blood-ties to the throne; all other children have to go through council votes like the rest of the nobles." He tilted his head reflectively. "I can't say I'm sorry about that - there's too much protocol you have to follow. And I don't like being the centre of attention, which isn't exactly good for any sort of heir."

Suri grinned. "True. But what's your name, then? Quatre Peacecraft or something else?"

"Heavens, no. See, a person's name pretty much states his position - if I were Quatre Peacecraft, I *would* be the second-in-line. This system is quite effective, actually, because it stops the wives from murdering each other, simply due to the fact that killing would achieve nothing. Children of the King's other wives usually take their mother's last name, partly to convince any nobles and assassins that they aren't as important, and partly in honour of their mother." Quatre's eyes grew sad. "My mother died when I was born, so my name is all I have."

The girl felt suddenly uncomfortable. _This conversation might just get a bit too personal for my liking - but I do appreciate their honesty. Somehow, / doubt that many get to hear these guys' stories this way... so I owe it to them to listen. _Softly, rather hesitantly, she said, "Then bring honour to it. If you can be proud of yourself, I have a feeling your mother would be too."

Quatre turned to her slowly, then a smile crept over his face. "Yes. I have a feeling she would. Thank you, Suri."

The girl blushed slightly, but nodded. _I wonder if I should press the topic... but I do want to know. And sometimes, it's better *not* to avoid uncomfortable topics... that only makes it worse. _I_ should know. _"So you're the only child?"

Surprisingly, the blonde laughed. "Good grief, no. I have twenty-nine older sisters, to be exact. I'm the baby of the family."

Suri's eyes widened. _Good grief, indeed. Hellsfires - that many sisters can drive *anyone* crazy. At least he would have had someone mothering him... that's more than I ever had. _Shaking herself clear of her thoughts, she turned to Duo. "What about you?"

The braided boy grinned. "My father is the Prime Minister, and I'm his only child. Shame, really - I think the complaints about my falling asleep in class are starting to get to him."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised. So you haven't any siblings... but Heero's your cousin, isn't he?" She turned to the silent boy expectantly. _I wonder if he'll bother replying?_

There was a long pause, but Heero nodded curtly. "Our mothers are sisters. My father used to be a merchant, but now manages trade and taxes for His Majesty."

Suri nodded, grinning to herself. _At least he said something._ "Trowa?"

Unexpectedly, there was a silence. Then, the emerald eyes flickered, and Trowa said, "I don't know who my birth parents are. Duke Barton adopted me as an infant, and brought me up as his own. He is in charge of the Collegiums." He hesitated, then stopped, leaving whatever he was going to add unsaid.

__

He isn't telling me everything... but I can understand that. No past... I can understand that too. Maybe that's why he told me even that much. It would have been the truth if he said his father was the Duke. Turning to the last person, Suri asked, "Wufei?"

The Asian boy nodded. "Our family moved here generations ago, though we still follow our own customs. My father is His Majesty's Chief General. I have no siblings, but I... I am to marry in two years time. When I'm fourteen."

Again, Suri's eyes widened. "Who's your bethrothed?"

"I won't know until one month before the wedding." At the girl's frown, Wufei explained, "It's part of our culture. The marriage of the clan's elder's son - that's me - is decided by the clan. The girl deemed worthiest one month before my fourteenth birthday becomes my partner."

__

What kind of arrangement is *that*? I know I for one would never become married that way. Then again, if he had been brought up knowing that was his future, I guess it wouldn't be *that* bad. Outwardly, she merely asked, "Clan?"

"We used to move around in clans, before kingdoms started evolving and began to overpower us. The clans decided to split up. Some disbanded and lived in communities as separate families, while others, like the one I belong to, formed agreements with various kingdoms."

Suri nodded. "I see. Um... can I ask you guys about what you do? I mean, I know I go to the Elementalists' Collegium. What about the rest of you?"

Quatre smiled. "Sure you can - I'm training to be a Healer. I'm also an Empath, so I take classes at the Psychics' Collegium."

"Empath?"

"That's the gift of receiving and transmitting emotions, as opposed to telepathy, which deals with the receiving and transmitting of thoughts. Speaking of which, have you been tested yet?"

Suri frowned. "Tested for what?"

"Psychic gifts. We all have telepathy - it is one of the most common psychic gifts. Others include empathy, coercion and psykinesis."

The girl shook her head. "I don't think so... but come to think of it, I think I sensed something once." She turned to the prince. "Do you remember the day we met? We went outside the stadium and argued for a bit, then I stopped because I felt something. If my memory is correct, it was similar to hatred... hatred and malice. Would that be what empathy is about?"

The Arabian nodded slowly. "I think it would be. And that means a Psychic will have to test you as soon as possible. Do you object?"

__

If you had asked me that two weeks ago, I'd have said you were crazy. As it is... "No, that's fine. What other stuff should I look out for?"

Duo smirked at her. "A lot, girl. Think about it this way - you have Elementalist gifts. That accounts for what? About three hours of training per day, excluding breaks. Then, you're going to have another two hours of academic-type lessons... you know, History, Geography, Politics, theory work and ethical studies regarding your gift. After that, two hours of self-defence lessons. You never know when you might be grateful for *those*, but at this point of time, all you'll know is that they're exhausting. And that's seven hours already. Throw in two hours for meals and that's practically half a day gone. If you end up with Psychic talent of any sort, you can basically kiss goodbye to any notions of 'free time'."

Suri scowled at him, then half-groaned. _And I thought this life was going to be *easy*. Oh well... I'll bet Mili has a _lot_ more than I have. And he still has time for these 'meetings'. _"So what do you do?"

"I'm a Light-worker, but since I'm not a full Elementalist, I only do about an hour of training per day. But I have more in terms of other lessons - etiquette, languages, taxation... that sort of stuff. Comes with having a Prime Minister father. I also have to train in close-range fighting."

Mili sighed. "At least you don't have to sit in half as many court sessions. I've got stuff like leadership, *heaps* of politics, tactics... basically anything and everything that might be useful to a future monarch. And that includes *really* long sessions in the company of courtiers, ladies and other nobles. As well as that, I happen to be a Water-worker... but at least you actually _learn_ stuff at the Collegium."

Suri grinned. "Like they say, everything has a price. What about you, Trowa?"

The youth glanced at her. "Stealth and long-range fighting, mostly. Assassin tricks. I'm also a low-level Ice-worker."

The girl raised her eyebrows at the mention of assassins, but turned to Wufei, who said, "I train in all aspects of fighting, though I prefer studying military tactics. But like father says, I'll have to be close to the fighters to command them, and it would be hard to do that when I'm half dead."

Suri grinned. "I think I get that. Heero?"

Again, there was a silence before the cobalt-eyed boy replied. "I'm a Mage and a Psychic. My gifts include telepathy, coercion and mental combat."

"Mental combat? What's that - fighting with your mind?"

The boy nodded curtly. "You tell the other person their mind is blowing up. It believes you, and acts accordingly. It's a branch of coercion."

Suri absorbed this, thinking, _he's totally involved in different types of magic, isn't he? No wonder he was attacked that day. Cos' I'm not a fool - I know that somebody was intent on hurting him. They won't tell me who or why, but I doubt it will remain secret for long. _Suddenly, she felt herself yawning. "Shit... it's kind of late, isn't it? Thanks for telling me... um, all this."

Mili smiled at her. "That's fine - I think you're the best 'new' person to come up here for a long time. Maybe you can come up some of the time, after you've settled in."

The girl nodded. _I can't believe I actually enjoyed myself - but I think I did. But I wouldn't dare hang out with them too much... they're all too important. And I bet they have private things to discuss. Things that don't involve just any old commo- stop it!_ _There's no point complaining about *that*... it won't help, it won't change. I'll just have to work my way around it. _"I'd like that... thank you."

Duo stood, and offered, "I'll walk you back. And when you're free, look around for me a bit - I have lessons at the Elementalists' Collegium as well."

She grinned. "I'll do that. Thanks."

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** One week later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Class dismissed. Suri, would you stay behind for a moment?" The Master stood and opened the door, closing it once more after the students filed out.

"Uh... sure." The girl brushed back her raven-black hair and gathered her belongings. _Shit - I'm in trouble *this* time... and I'm seriously doubting what they say about me having any potential at all. I mean, it shouldn't be _that_ hard to filter the energy and channel it in, then out. At least, the other students don't think it should._

"Sit." Master Tumi perched on top of the table, and beckoned for the girl to do similar. After she did so, he asked, "Suri, are you having problems with what we're learning at the moment?"

__

You're too damned diplomatic to add that it is totally basic stuff, aren't you? Oh well, I appreciate that, at least. "I'm not sure why. I can filter correctly, but whenever I start channeling, things just don't happen the way they should."

The Adept nodded. "I've noticed that. It's strange, because you have caught on to the other basics more quickly than most other students. I think it has something to do with the sensitivity of your channels - after all, they have touched more raw energy than perhaps they should have. You may like to try relaxing more. But unless you can safely channel the energy, I'm afraid you will not be able to do much."

Suri swallowed. "Yes sir. I will practice it once my other lessons are over for the day."

Master Tumi smiled. "Good luck, then. Do not be late for you next class."

The girl read the dismissal and bowed, then turned to leave. Hours later, she stood on some of the shielded practice fields, ready to scream in frustration. _This is simply not working! Every time energy even comes *close* to my channels, they block up or 'move' away... if that's even possible. And I haven't the damnest idea why? _Taking a deep breath, she began the process again. _Reach, filter, ch- oh shit, it happened again. What's with my stupid channels anyway?_

"That isn't going to work." A monotonous voice sounded behind a cluster of bushes.

Suri spun around. "Huh? Come out, whoever you are. What the..." The girl blinked, trying to hide her surprise as Heero stepped out and walked towards her. _What the hell is *he* doing here? And _speaking_, of all things?_

Cobalt eyes returned her stare. "I said, that isn't going to work. It is a physical instinct. Your channels have been damaged once by energy, thus they avoid it. Your gift can't control those instincts."

Suri was feeling too tired to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "Then what do you suggest I do?"

Heero remained impassive. "Reprogram your body."

"And how on earth will I do that?"

The boy's eyes flickered, then he commanded, "Listen, and do exactly as I say." At her nod, he continued, "On the count of three, reach and filter. On four, let the energy touch your channels. On five, pull your channels away."

"But my channels won't..."

"Just do it."

"Fine."

"One. Two. Three."

Suri reached for the energy with her gift, then filtered until only one type of energy was being 'held' by the gift.

"Four."

The girl took a deep breath and channeled, fighting the urge to scream as the energy brushed her channels.

"...Five."

With a sigh of relief, Suri released the energy. _Hey, I actually touched it! This might actually work. _But before she could comment, the voice commanded, "Again. One. Two. Three."

She did as the boy said.

"Four... five. Again. One, two, three. Four. Five. Again. One..."

Suri couldn't remember how many times the monotonous voice uttered 'again', but she could feel her channels relaxing as energy touched them briefly, but repeatedly.

"Now hold the energy until count five, and release on six. One. Two. Three."

The girl reached and filtered again, then let the energy channel.

"Four. Five."

__

Hey, I can hold it!

"...Six. Again. One..."

Another infinite number of repetitions, then she was commanded to hold the energy for three seconds. Then four. Five. Six... finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she felt her energy channels accept the power with no sign of rebellion. Sighing with relief, Suri grinned at her 'teacher'. "Thanks, Heero. Gods know where I'd be without you. How did you do that, anyway? I thought those channels were never going to listen to me."

The boy's face was emotionless - at it had been, all through the night - as he replied, "Fear of the energy got in the way. The counting turned the channeling into a routine. Routines don't have time for emotions. Good night." With that, he disappeared into the darkness, leaving one surprised girl staring after him.

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Notes:

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And oh yeah, sorry about the late update. I was staying at a hotel for a couple of days, and I couldn't exactly bring a computer along. (Can't afford a laptop either... damn.) This chapter was written mainly to explain the backgrounds of the other characters, and to clarify their relationships. The part about Quatre was kind of weird, I know, but "Quatre Peacecraft" sounds utterly wrong. So does "Milliardo Winner".

Let's see... today is the 17th of January. I should be able to get the next part out by the 20th. A Christmas-like celebration is coming up (in the story), so you can expect parties, presents and the rest of it. I might explain some things about this world's culture, season etc. Also, a GW girl will appear. Any guesses?

"Omae o kisu" seems to have worked the best so far, but since $!$!$! didn't enjoy that much (how about a big hug instead?), I'll switch to something else - *waves a gigantic pack of chocolate in front of all the readers' faces*... reviews, anybody? 


	8. Zolt'é

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Disclaimer: _The characters aren't mine, but their backgrounds within this fic *are* mine. So are my original characters and the magicky bits I put in! And "omae o korosu" to anyone who hurts them! *over-protective mother face*_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

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Notes: _Again, thanks for reviews! Cos' they're what keeps me going! And, as always, here are my replies:_

Landlady of the Universe: They're almost over, actually (the hols, I mean). Oh well. And don't worry, Suri *will* go with someone; there's just a lot to go before that happens! (And I've got all the relationships planned...*cackle*). Thanks for the addy, but um... either my comp is stuffing up (all too possible), or the addy doesn't work that well. Thanks anyway! And as a thank you, I'll chuck you another box of choco! *struggles with the huge box, then throws it at Landlady*

Finny: The way this story is going (really long), something *will* end up happening to Quatre. I'll just have to decide exactly what! And by the way, how can you like *freezing* water?? *shivers*

Mariel Yuy: Hehe... let's just say I have heaps of choco left over from X'mas. And if I eat it all, I won't be able to fit into my room! *grin* But ooooh, I'm so happy you've added me to your fav. fic and author list... never thought anyone would do that! *gushes and leaps over the moon*. I was trying to keep the personalities right (the guys wouldn't be half as luvable if they went totally OOC, right? *wink*) - glad you like it. As for the fanart, that would be so COOL! You'll notice I didn't fully describe Suri - that's because I like leaving my OCs' appearances vague, and thus let my readers decide how they're supposed to look. The only term I've used is "raven-haired", and somewhere in this chapter, there will be a bit more of a description. Tell me if you're going to go ahead with it, kay? *bounces up and down* And any more reviews would be great! Ja. 

$!$!$!: Hehe... go chocolate! *waves another packet around* Don't be sure it's Heero and Suri - they have a one in six chance of getting together, as do Mili and Suri. At least, at this point of the story it's a one-in-six. *grin* And to clarify, I have heaps of time and heaps of space, so review away! *runs around in circles, looking behind all couches and shelves for reviews* One of your guesses are right - you'll see which one. And yup, it's a cool name *grin*. And 'prequel' sounds perfect.

Vilanda: Thanks - I'm glad you like it! And by the way, I love magic as well! But oh well... it wouldn't be GW without Relena having a major crush on Heero, right? Then again, you never know what might happen with the pairings in a fanfic... 

Vaun: Glad you like it! And ooh, I love saying this - you'll just have to wait to see who ends up with whom! Hope you keep reading!

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Part VIII: Zolt'é 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Three months later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri gathered her cloak more tightly around her shoulders, shivering slightly as another gust of wind rushed through the window. _One good thing about being a student of the Collegiums - you have an endless supply of these 'uniforms'. Which means I can go basically anywhere without people knowing I don't *have* anything else to wear. _She had had no more trouble with her channels since the night Heero helped her; in fact, Master Tumi had declared her good enough to be promoted into an advanced class. But that didn't help her financial state - after all, the crown only funded the students' lessons, not their lives. So now, along with Elementalist, defence and Psychic lessons, she worked in the palace grounds for about two hours per day, doing whatever needed doing that day. _Oh well... the wages are fair, at least. Ten credits per hour isn't bad by anyone's standards. I should be grateful Mili arranged it for me..._

But that didn't solve her immediate problem. _What the hell am I going to do about presents? It's Zolt'é, after all... I can stand not having new clothes and all, but I owe them *some* sort of thank you, for all they've done. And on second thought - I may need those new clothes after all. I mean, Duo _did_ say that some people turned up in these uniforms, but I seriously doubt it..._

*** flashback ***

"Hey Suri!"

The girl spun around. "Duo! What are you doing here?"

The braided boy smirked. "Relax - I'm not going to eat you. I know you're busy these days, but Zolt'é is coming up - how d'ya feel about a party?"

"Party?"

"Yup. There's one every year, and all Collegium students are invited. The others are all going. Want to come?"

Silver eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed as Suri bit her lips. "I'd like to, you know. Never been to a Zolt'é celebration... not since Granny died. But I won't have anything to wear, and I've got no idea how to act and all..."

Duo grinned. "Don't worry about it - people turn up in uniform every year. And as for the last bit, nobody really cares - protocol goes out the window on Zolt'é night. So does court manners and all the other crap."

The girl glanced at him. "You sure? 'Bout the first bit, I mean."

"Dead serious - come on, I've been going for the last twelve years. Don't you trust me?"

Suri rolled her eyes. "I'd trust you not to kill me, but I wouldn't trust you not to empty freezing buckets of water on me when I'm as tired as hell."

The boy gave her a look of mock indignation. "Hey, it was only that once! And you have to admit that if I hadn't woken you up, you would've gotten in deep trouble."

"There are slightly more convenient ways to wake people up, you know."

He blinked innocently. "They're boring."

Suri rolled her eyes once more, then chuckled. "True, I guess. About that party... I guess I might as well. At least it will be a break from all the lessons."

Duo grinned back. "That's the spirit. How 'bout I pick you up... say, at noon? That way, we can go meet up with the others."

"Okay. And Duo... thanks." The girl's voice turned serious. "For taking me everywhere, these last couple of months. I... would have had a much harder time without you."

The boy smiled and gave her a quick hug. "You're welcome - that's what friends are for, right? Remember, Zolt'é noon!" With that, he bounced off, slamming Suri's door behind him.

__

*** end flashback ***

The girl glanced out the window. _Almost noon - strange, he's usually early. But... maybe I shouldn't go... especially if Mili's going to be around. He'll be the centre of attention - I really don't want to embarrass him... or any of the others. They've been too nice, these last couple of months. _Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Moving to open it, she called, "Duo? Huh... oh, hi. Um, how may I help you?"

The man at the door held out his hand. "Would you be Lady Suriku?"

Suri's face almost twitched as she shook his hand. _Hellfires - 'lady'? Why the hell would anyone call me that? Usually, it's Protégé Suriku or plain old Suri. The world must be going mad... _"Yes, I'm Suriku. And you are...?"

The man smiled. "Oh, pardon me, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Master Duo's messenger, Poruel."

The girl returned the smile. "Nice to meet you. Um... sorry, but is Duo busy or something?"

Poruel shook his head. "Master Duo sent me to escort you to the Palace tailors. He asked me to deliver this." As he spoke, he handed her a sheet of paper.

"Thank you." Suri hid her confusion - _what the hell is Duo up to? -_ and scanned the message. 

__

Do you trust me? If you do, follow Poruel. You'll understand when you get there.  
~ Duo

"Hmm..." The girl grinned wryly. _He doesn't leave me much choice, does he? And I do trust him, so... _"Then lead on, Poruel."

After several minutes, Poruel reached a room and walked in, smiling a greeting at the greying lady inside. Turning to Suri, he said, "This is where I leave you, Lady Suriku. Master Duo says to inform you that he will pick you up."

The girl nodded, answering, "Thank you, Poruel. I'm glad to have met you."

"And I you." With that, the man bowed slightly and walked off, leaving Suri staring nervously around her.

The lady turned to her and smiled. "You're Suriku, I presume?"

Suri nodded. "Just Suri, please."

"Then I'm Heather, one of the Palace tailoresses. And I see that Master Duo has a good eye - the dress he ordered for you is just the right size."

The girl blinked. "Um... dress?"

Heather's lips quirked. "Ah, so the rascal didn't tell you? I guessed as much, to tell the truth." She held out a covered garment. "But here you are, and here's the dress he ordered for you, so you might as well try it on, no?"

Suri raised an eyebrow, but nodded. _So _that's _what I'm here for... I wonder if I should be laughing or angry? _Walking over, she let Heather remove her uniform and help her with the dress.

After a few yanks about the waist, the lady pulled back, surveying the result, and nodded in satisfaction. "He has a good eye, that young one. The silver-grey silk brings out the colour of your eyes, but isn't dark enough to clash with your hair. And it's none too modest or revealing, either. With a couple of touches, you can give any of those wealthy airheads a run for their money."

"Excuse me?" The girl stared for a moment, then laughed. _I guess she's tired of the typical I'm-higher-and-mightier-than-you-just-cos-I'm-rich attitude as well. No big surprise there._

Heather returned the grin. "Now what do you say to a makeover?"

Suri shrugged, then froze. "Wait a minute. You do know I can't actually pay for any of this, right?"

The tailoress smiled. "Don't worry, the boys have organised everything. Just sit and relax."

The girl sat, a small smile playing across her lips. _This is fun, actually - I just have to find a way to repay all of it. Just wait - _"Hey, did you just say 'boys'?"

Heather laughed. "I have a feeling they wanted this to be a surprise - you'll just have to find out later." She fell silent, then, and bustled around, tugging at Suri's hair and applying careful touches of makeup. After a while, she said, "There you are - as nice as I thought you'd turn out. And your escort is just in time."

Suri resisted the urge to spin around, feeling suddenly awkward with her hair curled into an elaborate arrangement at the top of her head. _I've never done this before... shit, wonder if I look like a fool? _"Um... Duo?"

The braided boy stood at the doorway - gaping. "Uh - hi, Suri. You look... great." _More than great - who'd have known she'd dress up so well? Can't blame me, I guess, since I've only ever seen her in uniform, but still. _He let his eyes travel slowly over the girl in front of him - long raven hair, wide silver eyes, graceful body... _not as beautiful as some of the court beauties, perhaps, but - she's different. Her eyes sparkle, and her smile is actually *real*... she's stunning._

The girl smiled nervously. "Thanks." _Hell, why am I shy all of a sudden? Probably because he's staring at me like an idiot... time to wake him up. _She reached out abruptly and tugged at the length of chestnut hair, sending the boy stumbling backwards. "And stop staring."

"Oi!" _Hmm... maybe I deserved that. Don't stare - isn't that one of the rules of court manners? Ah, well. _Grinning once more, he turned to the tailoress. "Thanks, Heather - I knew you'd do a good job."

Heather shook her head. "Off with you, younglings, before you make me feel older than I am. And look after the girl."

Suri smiled her thanks and followed the braided boy out. They walked in silence for a while, then she asked quietly, "Duo, why did you do that?"

The boy stopped. "Do you like the dress?"

The girl nodded. "I've never had anything as like it. But..."

"Suri." Duo interrupted, violet eyes serious. "We're friends - you should know that by now. You weren't born into a wealthy family; I was. That doesn't matter. You like me for me, not because my father's the Prime Minister. And I like you for you. I'm not doing charity or pitying you - the dress is simply your Zolt'é present because you're my friend. Okay?"

Suri had to resist the urge to cry - _hell, what did I ever do to deserve friends like him? _"But... I couldn't get anything -"

Again, the braided boy cut her off. "It doesn't matter - I receive more presents than I ever get around to opening." He grinned suddenly. "But if you really want to pay me back... how about a kiss?"

The girl stared at him in shock, frozen. _Huh? Does he mean that, or is he just kidding?_

Catching her surprise, Duo berated himself silently. _Shouldn't have said that, hey? Baka, me. _"Hey, Suri, it's alright..."

This time, he was the one interrupted as Suri chuckled and leaned forward, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "That what you meant?"

"I - er... yeah. Um... thanks." The braided boy struggled to regain his composure, and found himself failing dismally. _Did she or didn't she just do that? Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, since girls do it all the time, but still - did she or..._

"Duo! Uh - who... Suri?" Another voice echoed from the stairway.

"Hi, Mili." The girl turned and laughed at the prince's sudden resemblance to a stranded fish. "Surprised?"

__

I didn't get those diplomacy lessons for nothing, Mili thought wryly as he recovered from his shock. "I was, but I shouldn't have been. You look great."

Suri grinned. "You're the second person to say that. The dress was Duo's present... I think. Heather mentioned 'boys'."

The boys exchanged a quick glance, then Mili answered the unspoken question. "The dress was Duo's present; the shoes, make-up and all the rest of it was Quatre's. And this is mine." With that, he held out a small package. "Open it."

The girl smiled, feeling shy once more. _So they were all part of it. I wonder what this is... _"Oh Mili, this is beautiful."

Mili grinned. "Here, I'll help you put it on." He took the necklace from her fingers and fastened it gently around her neck, smiling as the jewels glinted in afternoon sun. [1] _She looks wonderful - everything suits her perfectly. I think we made the right choice._

Suri reached and touched the piece of jewellery - hesitantly, as though she feared it might break. _And as well it might - that must be worth what? Months of my wages, at least. Same with the other two 'present's... I know how much make-up sessions cost. Gods... _"Thanks, Mili." Suddenly, she grinned and leaned forward again, giving the prince the same treatment as she gave Duo. And was rewarded as the prince repeated his stranded-fish expression. Exchanging a wink with Duo, she walked into Mili's sitting room.

"...Suri?"

The surprise in the three voices made Suri laugh aloud. "Hey, guys. Quatre, thanks for your present. It was really sweet."

The blonde smiled, recovering quickly. "You're welcome - and you look wonderful."

Trowa nodded slowly in agreement, then handed her a slender package. "Here - Zolt'é blessings."

"And to you," she replied automatically. Unwrapping the present, she smiled at the set of elegant daggers. _Weapons - just like him, hey? But I should have expected it - after all, he *is* an assassin-trainee... I think. Nobody ever says it straight out, but you sort of get the point after a while. And these... suit me, for some reason. They look like jewellery as much as they look like weapons. _

The tall youth smiled slightly, then gestured to the knives. "Those fit in the wrist pouches hidden in the lining of your uniforms... and that dress you're wearing."

Suri's eyes widened in surprise - _this proves I have great observation; I didn't even feel the pouches! _But sure enough, when she ran her hand along her sleeves, she felt an extra layer of material. Grinning, she slipped the four knives into various slots. "I didn't even notice those pouches - thank you, Trowa."

The boy nodded, then let his emerald eyes flicker towards Wufei. With mild surprise, Suri noticed that the normally arrogant youth looked rather awkward, and asked, "Wufei?"

The Asian cleared his throat and handed her a package. "Zolt'é blessings, onna."

Suri grinned - _so he got me a present too, hey? _"Thanks, *Wu-man*. And I'll excuse the 'onna' bit, this time." _Hmmm... this is heavy. Let me guess - books? _Sure enough, the package opened to reveal several thick volumes_._ Opening one of them, her eyes widened as she saw the chit inside._ Hellfires - is this...? _"A pass to one year of lessons at the Bardic Collegium... oh gods, how did you know?"

Wufei reddened slightly at her awed tone, but when Quatre smiled and nudged him, he replied, "We caught your expression when you heard that concert the other day."

The prince grinned, "Wufei did, actually - _I_ didn't notice. You should have told us you liked music so much."

Suri blushed. "Music lessons are expensive; I couldn't have afforded them. Thank you, Wufei..." she hesitated. "I know I can't repay any of this, but there is something I _can_ do..." Before Wufei could react, she had walked over and promptly kissed him on the cheek. Chuckling at his utterly stunned face, she did the same to Trowa and Quatre.

The taller youth remained calm, though his eyes twinkled at Wufei's expression, but Quatre laughed outright. "Is this what you did to Mili? I *thought* he looked strange when he walked in."

Suri winked. "What do you think? And by the way, when do we leave?" _Because for some reason, I'm not nervous any more - perhaps because I've actually got something to wear, but I suspect it's more to do with the fact that I won't be alone..._

Duo stood, smoothing his hand over his black outfit. "About now would be good. Heero said he might not turn up - I say he will. Even if he doesn't, Relena will drag him along. Come on!" With that, he half-skipped towards the door, beckoning for his friends to follow.

Suri fell into pace behind him. _Relena? Who's she? Or he? Nah... that's a girl's name. I'll just have to wait and see! _

After a few minutes of walking, strains of music and laughter reached their ears. Duo reached out and grabbed Suri's arm, prancing towards the entrance. "Come on!" 

Laughing, Mili and Quatre followed, and behind them, Trowa and Wufei. As they walked past the guards, Suri would have frozen in awe had Duo not been dragging her onwards. _This place is _huge_! And it looks magnificent... _Not even 'magnificent' did the hall justice; everything from the pillars to the ceiling to the decorations shimmered with iridescent colours which, she suspected, were courtesy of a group of Mages in the corner. Fountains sprang from nowhere, no doubt controlled by Elementalists, and small fireballs darted between the crowds. On the stage, several people in Bardic colours were thrumming the tune she heard from outside, and servants walked around with plates of food and alcohol. "This is amazing... do you see this every year?"

The braided boy nodded. "Told you you'd love it. Now come dance!" With that, he led her onto the dance floor, shouting greetings at friends and admirers.

Suri protested, "I don't know how!"

Duo grinned. "Trust me!" Guiding her hands to his shoulders, the boy swung her around in time to the music, ignoring her half-hearted struggles. "Just let the music take you away..."

__

Dance, dance baby  
Let the music guide you  
Dance, dance baby  
The rhythm is inside you  
Just swing, step, move your body  
Sway, spin, just dance, oh baby...

By the time the music ended, they were both laughing. The braided boy winked, "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Suri stuck her tongue out. "Baka."

At that moment, the prince walked up and took her arm, shouting to Duo, "Go grab another girl!" Then, he grinned at Suri and spun her into another dance.

__

Don't stop movin',   
Can you feel the music  
DJ's got us goin' around...  
Don't stop movin'  
Find your own way to it  
Listen to the music  
Takin' you to places that you've  
Never been before baby now...

Before the night was over, she had danced with Quatre, Trowa and even Wufei, as well as a few other people from her classes. _I can't believe how much fun I've had... hey, is that Heero? _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero frowned to himself. _I shouldn't have let her drag me into this - the practice fields would have been free tonight; I could have used them in peace. Now I'm just wasting valuable time._

"Come on, Heero! Let's dance!" The girl beside him tugged at his arm.

__

Why does she not let me be - I don't need distractions, dammit! "Leave me alone, Relena." With that, he broke free and walked off. 

"Heero!"

"Omae o korosu." Cobalt eyes flashed dangerously, complementing the growl.

The girl pouted, sending him a wistful glance before disappearing into the crowd. Heero sighed - he had known Relena for as long as he remembered, simply because her father was the Foreign Minister. And she had been trying to attract his attention for all those years. _Maybe I shouldn't have given her a Zolt'é present - but then again, that would have been interpreted as rudeness, and I may get lectured for it. Still, even that may have been better than being dragged into these celebrations. But I have to do something before I can leave... _He sighed again, then glanced around. Spying his cousin and the prince standing next to a raven-haired girl, he paced towards them briskly. _I just hope she doesn't try to waste my time._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So how did you find tonight?" A hand tapped on her shoulder.

"Oh... hi, Mili. And it was great... thanks." Suri grinned at the prince, who smiled back.

"Hey, is that Heero walking over here?" The braided boy moved to stand beside them.

Mili raised an eyebrow. "It is - so I guess Relena *did* manage to drag him along."

"She has for the last couple of years," Duo pointed out.

"Relena? Is she that girl who was with him?"

"Yup. Relena Darlian. Her father is the Foreign Minister, and he works with Heero's father a lot. Oi Heero!" The braided boy waved to the approaching figure. "Great night, hey?"

"Hn." The cobalt-eyed boy's face was impressive as he moved to stand beside them.

Duo rolled his eyes. "You'd think that people would actually *try* and have fun on Zolt'é... but I guess you wouldn't have come if Relena hadn't made you, right?"

"Hn." Heero repeated with a curt nod. Turning to Suri, he held out a package. "Zolt'é blessings."

Mili chuckled. "Mister Yuy says two new words! Open it, Suri - he didn't tell us what he bought."

Suri smiled at Heero's prompt 'hn' and removed the wrapping, then gasped. "It's... a power stone. But they're..."

Heero switched his impassive gaze on her. "It's amber, so it should work well with your gift." Turning, he began to move towards the exit.

Recovering from her shock, the girl called, "Wait!"

The boy sighed. _So she's just like Relena - how typical. _"What is it?"

Suri almost faltered under the piercing cobalt gaze, but didn't... quite. Grabbing his shoulders to prevent him from moving away, she gave him a light kiss on the cheek, then grinned, "You know I couldn't get presents for any of you, and this is what Duo suggested. I'll leave you alone now, but thanks for the present - and Zolt'é blessings." Waving, she walked back into the crowd and disappeared once more.

"Hn." Heero rolled his eyes. _Stupid baka - trust Duo to make such suggestions. But at least she left me alone. _He glanced around the festive hall once more, then stepped outside, into the darkness.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Suri - what did you do?" Duo spotted the girl and went over to her.

"Huh? Oh, I gave him a kiss, of course. That's your suggestions, remember?" Suri winked.

Duo raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Hell... that must have taken some nerve. Did he say 'omae o korosu'?"

"What's that?"

"I'm going to kill you, in Japanese. I guess he didn't then - who knows, he may have liked being kissed or something. Wanna dance?"

"No, thanks. I'm tired. You go." 

"Trying to get rid of me, are you?"

Rolling her eyes, Suri shook her head and waved her arm dismissively. Taking the hint, Duo mock-bowed and left. The girl grinned and turned back to the stone in her hand. _How on earth did he know exactly what suited my gift the best? Master Tumi showed us these in lessons the other day - they're rumoured to be really power-enhancing. But they're so expensive... I'll have to thank him again, sometime. But for now, I've still got half a night ahead of me! _Catching a friend's eye, she moved on to the dance floor once more, ready to dance the night away.

****

Credits:

The second dance lyric came from S Club 7's "Don't Stop Moving".

****

Notes:

__

[1] - I know that Suri, Mili and Duo are indoors, but my picture of the building has dozens of those ground-to-ceiling-to-wall windows... you know, like those beautiful mansions you see in brochures and swear you'll buy when you win the lotto. The sunlight comes in from there.

So, how did that go? I needed something light before the next one, which is going to be a *lot* more dramatic. By the way, Zolt'é is a festival that resembles Christmas. I just wanted to make my own world with its own celebrations and seasons etc., so bear with me *grin*. But for anyone who guessed that Relena would be the one that appears, here's another packet of chocolate! (it's semi-melted... you wouldn't believe how HOT it is right now! And I don't have air-conditioning either!) Now, for the million-dollar-question - *dum di dum...* is she going to end up with Heero? 

*evil cackle*

... that's for me to know and you to find out! Much, *much* later...

The next part is important, so it may take up to a week to write. But guess what - the story will finally begin! *cheers* 

Hehe... chocolate fever! Anyway, as usual, please review. But hmmm, I'm running out of bribes. Let's see - anyone want some ice-cream? *wink* 


	9. Zechs Merquise

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Disclaimer: _Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Mili, Treize, Relena, Hilde, Catherine, Dorothy, Sally, Noin and Une aren't mine... every other thing is! And omae o korosu to *everyone* who steals them! *curls finger around trigger*_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

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Notes: _Did I mention I love reviews? And I always reply to them:_

Mariel Yuy: So do I! And Duo's cool, I agree. And hand-drawn will be great... *anything* at all will be great! *grin* (I wouldn't be able to draw anything decent even if my life depended on it... *sigh*) And take your pick of the surroundings... I can't wait for a piccie to come out! *jumps up and down*

Misty: Thanks! And since here's the next chapter, you can find out for yourself what happens!

Rokjai: Thanks - I'm glad you like it! And I'll try to update often. *grin*

Landlady of the Universe: Hehe, here's another box of chocolate for BOb... hope he enjoys it! And I'm sure going to have fun pairing Suri off... *cackled evilly* That chapter was meant to be light-ish, in preparation for this one. And I got the daggers idea from one of my Christmas presents. But sorry about the magic - or lack thereof... there will be more, in the coming chapters. Hope you can wait that long! *grins* And thanks for the recommendation! *snaps fingers, winking as a bag of gold appears from nowhere* (Does that count as payment? hehe) Please keep reading!

Finny: Did you notice the 'bucket of freezing water' in the last chapter? *grin* And by the way, Quatre - Q-ball - is cute anytime! Hehe... 

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Part IX: Zechs Merquise 

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Two years later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slightly more than two years have passed since Suriku first spilled coffee on Milliardo Peacecraft, the crown prince of Sanq. Since then, she has been breezing through the various stages of Elementalist training, passing the Master Examination in record time. Her telepathic gift, too, has developed into something quite powerful. The money she earns from her part-time job goes towards lessons at the Bardic Collegium, where she continues what Wufei Chang's Zolt'é gift started two years earlier. Her friendship with six boys has deepened, and the nightly 'meetings' have become as much a part of her schedule as her lessons.

Heero Yuy, too, has become renowned for his magical talent. Constant training has honed his control to perfection, and the Master Magic Examination undertaken one month ago was passed in flying colours. Even so, his yearning for vengeance has remained unchanged, and he has estranged himself from anything that could possibly distract him from that goal.

Duo Maxwell has not changed much - his endlessly cheerful personality and increasing charm has attracted female admirers from all the Collegiums. His knack of falling asleep during certain classes, too, has remained unchanged, much to the annoyance of his father.

Trowa Barton has gained a reputation for stealth; indeed, he is rumoured to be able to sneak a dagger within an inch of companions' faces without their noticing. Some say he is being secretly trained in the use of assassin-weapons, but he himself refrains from responding to the claims, choosing instead to ignore all common gossip.

Quatre Winner, the sweet-faced prince, has discovered in himself a rare healing ability, and has spent the last two years learning to control those powers. His gentle nature and ability to use his empathetic powers to complement his healing gift has made him a favourite with several Adept Healers.

Wufei Chang of the Dragon Clan has recently been married to Meiran, the daughter of clan elder Ron Shirin. Much to his wife's dismay, he does not enjoy the fighting arts, preferring instead to study battle tactics. Their arguments over honour and justice can often be heard - while Wufei believes that there is no justice except in individual circumstances, Meiran persists in debating otherwise. [1]

Milliardo Peacecraft still retains a dislike of being treated differently because of his rank, but has grown used to it throughout the last two years. In doing so, he has developed a quiet confidence and maturity, and is slowly beginning to master the art of leadership. To his father, the King, that is a relief, especially since the possibility of war is looming closer than ever...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri yanked a brush over her raven-coloured hair, cursing the tangled curls for what must have been the millionth time that day._ I can't believe it's Zolt'é again already - it seems as though only a month has passed since the last celebrations. _She glanced over to the door - it was almost noon, so whoever Duo sent would be arriving soon. The Zolt'é messenger had become something of a tradition after the first year, and Suri knew that Duo, at least, had fun preparing surprises for her.

__

It's weird, to tell the truth - he still walks me over to Mili's quarters every night, though I sure as hell know the way by now. Even the guards have gotten used to me. But on Zolt'é and the other two nights of the Goddess, he sends messengers. And if I'm not mistaken, the person should be arriving - she peered out the window, noting the position of the sun. _Just about... now._

Sure enough, a rap sounded at the door. When she opened it, she grinned. "Hi, Poruel."

The man bowed. "Lady Suriku."

Suri's lips quirked -_ so he *still* insists on calling me that. Never mind that this is the tenth time he's been sent on these 'errands'. _"What did Duo tell you to do this time?"

Poruel flushed slightly. "I'm not an escort this time, Lady. Master Duo asked me to deliver you this message."

Taking the piece of parchment, she almost laughed out loud as she deciphered Duo's scrawl.

__

Do you trust me? If you do, go straight to the bowers. Wear casual clothing. You'll understand when you get there.  
~ Duo

Hell, that's almost identical to his first message... and the eight that followed. If I didn't know him, I'd think he was deliberately trying to provoke me. "Thanks, Poruel."

The girl watched as Poruel bowed and withdrew, then glanced down at the sheet of paper. With a thought, she sent it bursting into flames, then tipped the ashes into a small container. _I never understand the point of this precaution, but Master Tumi recommended it, so... I guess I'd better go. _Suri changed quickly into a set of black clothes and headed out.

The walk to the 'bowers' didn't take long - it was a small, hidden garden just north of Mili's quarters, and about a half-candlemark away from her room. As with quite a few areas on the Palace grounds, it was private, and in this case, it belonged to the prince. _And that means Mili is involved as well. Unsurprisingly enough. It isn't as though I don't enjoy the suspense, though - and they'd have figured *that* part out as well, no doubt. _Sensing a small movement beside her, she turned quickly, letting her eyes narrow in a mock glare. "Get out, Duo. I known you're there."

A cheerful laugh sounded from behind a bush as a braided figure emerged, raising his arms in mock surrender. "I should've been more careful, ne?"

Grinning, the girl answered, "No - then I wouldn't have heard you. What's up this time? You don't usually show yourself this early."

"Well, to tell the truth, Mili, Trowa and Heero didn't want to go to the party much - and nobody will make them, since it's an informal part of the celebrations. The female attention is getting irritating, apparently."

Suri smirked. "It's their fault they're fifteen - or sixteen, in Mili's case. But I thought Heero didn't mind Relena?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't know - he only ever says 'hn'. But at least he never made good on his threats to kill her."

"True. And the three of them _did_ mention it some time ago, come to think of it. So what have you got planned?"

"Well, you're free to join the party, if you want, but we're holding a small private party elsewhere... away from the palace. You're free to come to that as well."

The girl paused, her face thoughtful. _I *do* normally enjoy the party, but without the rest of them... and besides, there's always next year, ne? _"I'll go with the rest of you, then."

Duo's face broke into a grin. "I knew we could count on you. All the rest of them are coming."

"Where is this party, anyway? And isn't Wufei meant to stay with Meiran?"

"I would've told you the location earlier, but we weren't sure ourselves - and by the way, nobody knows we won't be at the party. But anyway, it's that clearing in the Suv'lia Woods. Half a candlemark away. And Meiran is still mad at Wufei because he beat her the other day, so she's going by herself."

Suri nodded, hiding a smile - the Asian girl was, in her way, perfect for Wufei. _At least she doesn't let him get his own way all the time. But she doesn't understand him - he doesn't fight because of his beliefs, not because he's too weak to do so. She just provoked him a bit too much; the result of that fight... was not unexpected. _"So are we going separately?"

"As far as I know, yes."

"Then let's go." The girl began walking, and Duo quickly fell into pace beside her.

Sure enough, they were standing in the clearing about half a candlemark later. The other four had already arrived, and by the looks of things, were well on the way to finishing the preparations.

"How on earth did you get all this out here?" Suri gestured at the decorations - which, now that she thought about it, bore quite a resemblance to the ones used at the actual party.

Mili winked at her. "Let's just say that being a prince isn't _totally_ useless."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I think I realised *that* a long time ago." Glancing around, she couldn't help smiling - stacks of delicacies lay neatly in various containers, and soft glows illuminated the darkening area. "You guys have done a good job, at any rate."

The prince mock bowed. "Anything for a lady."

Suri snorted. "If I'm a lady, you're a cowherd."

Quatre shook his head and sat down on the grass, smiling as Trowa quietly did the same. Suri couldn't help grinning once more - the friendship between the two had deepened considerably, though it hadn't yet blossomed into anything else. But Quatre's smiles became sweeter when Trowa was nearby, and Trowa's emerald eyes carried a certain light around the blonde. _I wonder if they realise they care about each other? It wouldn't matter much, I guess - Quatre's not even of courting age anyway. But perhaps it's a good thing that Quatre isn't the heir._

Beside her, Mili seemed to be thinking along similar lines - his face had softened, and his eyes bore a smile. Heero was expressionless, as usual, but the mere fact that he had come spoke more than any words could. Wufei's was sitting in meditation, though his robes were stained slightly; he had probably been at weapons practice earlier. Duo, unsurprisingly, was rummaging around the food containers, and after a moment of thought, Suri moved to help him.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside the palace, several men stood on alert. One of them, a man of about twenty, turned to the youth beside him. Shields checked, Your Majesty. 

The brown-haired youth nodded. Lucrezia? 

The girl shook her head, brushing back the locks of dark violet hair. Please, cousin - call me Noin. In a war, gender doesn't matter. The fields are clear. 

The youth glanced at her, then nodded once more. Very well. Noin, Ronterdo, proceed as planned. 

Yes, Your Majesty. Several figures disappeared into the shadows.

Blue eyes checked the surrounding area carefully, then the youth, too, retreated. As he moved, the harshness in his face faded, and the youth looked back somberly. _I hope this is worth it, father... I really hope this is worth it._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** One hour later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hell, I'm full." The braided boy plonked down on the grass.

Suri snorted. "Anyone would be if they ate half as much as you did - it's a wonder you can even move."

"Hey, I'm a growing lad." Duo lay for a split second more, then bounced back up. "Any of that cake left?"

Quatre chuckled. "I thought you were full, Duo?"

"I was a moment ago - hey, what was that?"

Even as he spoke, the other six had spun around in the direction of the sudden explosion - just in time to see the smoke as it wove through the air in the distance. The prince's face paled, his blue eyes reflected concern. "We have to get back to the palace."

Within an instant, Heero had summoned a reservoir of energy. His face was grim as he wove the power into the shape of a doorway. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "Get through. Hurry."

Suri's eyes widened as she looked at the glowing lines of energy. "A portal," she breathed.

Cobalt eyes settled her for an moment, then Heero nodded. "To the palace."

The girl nodded and stepped through, feeling slightly awestruck as she felt the energies shift, then all went blank as her body, too, shifted... and emerged seconds later just outside the palace grounds. _Hell - he's good. But there's still going to be energy residue... What *did* Master Tumi say? The powers, at the deepest level, are the same... it's all a question of will. That means I can use my Elemental gift..._ With that, she gathered her own powers and started to remove the energy traces left by the portal. As she worked, the others stepped through, with Heero coming last and closing the portal behind him. Cobalt eyes searched silver ones for a moment, then the boy nodded in silent thanks and merged his powers with hers, finishing what she started.

Then, Heero pulled back. "We'd better move - most traces are cleansed, but some will remain, and someone may have sensed them already."

The prince nodded, his face worried as he glanced in the direction of the palace. "It's too smoky; I can't tell what's going on." He paused for a moment, thinking, then spoke again, his face taking on the aura of command. "Heero, you're a mage - you, Duo and Quatre will come with me to the palace. Suri, go with Wufei and Trowa to the hall, and see if you can be of any help. Meet in the woods afterwards."

The prince and his group moved off, and Suri glanced quickly at Trowa. The youth's expression was carefully blank as he said, "Come. It's quickest through the gardens."

Suri and Wufei followed as he wove quickly through the bushes, arriving at the threshold of the hall minutes later. There, cloaked in the darkness, they all froze - before them was a scene that could only be classified as mass destruction. The hall lay in ruins, partly charred, partly hidden in the smoke that still blanketed the area. Small fires still blazed, but did nothing to burn away the stench in the air - stench born from the hundreds of corpses scattered on the ground.

The trio remained so for a long moment - frozen in shock - then the Asian youth's face suddenly contorted with fear. "Meiran!"

Suri and Trowa exchanged a quick glance. In that instant, Wufei had sprung up and was darting between the bodies, onyx eyes flickering over the victims' faces. The other two understood and did the same, though the girl's face was pale with terror. The older youth's expression was blank, but the emerald eyes that scanned the bodies for Wufei's wife held the same anxiety. Then, a soft cry escaped - "Meiran!"

The two looked to where the Asian boy knelt beside a fallen figure, and hurried to stand beside him. Meiran lay cradled in her husband's arms, but her breathing was erratic, and her eyes dim. "Meiran - hold on. If we can get you to Quatre..."

His wife shook her head weakly. "It's no use, Wufei... I-I'm sorry."

Wufei grit his teeth. "Meiran..."

The girl rested her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh. The silence was deafening for a moment, then she whispered, almost inaudibly, "Be strong, husband... Nataku." A last deep breath, then she lay still. [2]

The three of them stood motionless once more, then Wufei stood, ever so carefully, and lowered his wife's body to the ground. The boy's face was as expressionless as Heero's and Trowa's but the onyx eyes, filled with anger, spoke a different story. Slowly, deliberately, he curled his fingers in the sign of an oath. "By my wife's name and my own, I swear that until the day justice is obtained, I, Chang Wufei - will fight." In a fluid motion, he unsheathed a small dagger and drew it across his palm, watching coldly as the blood dripped from the cut onto the ground.

Beside him, Suri stifled a gasp and Trowa's brows creased in an almost invisible frown, but they remained still - but wary. Only when Wufei wiped the blade clean and resheathed it did the taller youth say, softly, "We should check who else has been killed."

Both Suri and Wufei nodded and they moved off, grimly searching the bodies. After several moments of silence, Wufei turned to his companions. "Several nobles, and the rest are students. Some are too charred to make out."

Trowa nodded. "Similar." He hesitated, then continued, "And the Foreign Minister."

Suri raised an eyebrow. "Relena's father?"

"And mother."

They stood quietly for a while, surveying the scene, then Suri bit her lips. "Should we go back to the forest? It doesn't feel... safe, somehow."

The brown-haired youth nodded. "It isn't. And we did agree to meet back there."

Walking past the bodies once more, Suri uttered a quick prayer for the lives taken. _Hell... and on a night of the Goddess as well. That's the worst part of it - everyone was unharmed. This was slaughter. _She glanced quickly at the Asian who was several paces ahead of them. _Poor Wufei... nobody deserves something like that._

Suri! 

The mind voice made the girl start. Heero? 

A mental affirmative. What is happening? 

...The hall has been destroyed. Casualties... they include Meiran and the Foreign Minister, as well as most of the people in the hall. 

There was a 'nod' of acknowledgement, then Heero's sent. Come to the meeting room in the palace. 

Suri tensed at the tightness of the mind voice. Roger. Turning to her halted companions, she said, "Heero says to go to the meeting room." [3]

Trowa's eyes flickered towards her as they started walking once more. "Did he say what was wrong?"

She shook her head. "I doubt it is good - even _he_ was showing signs of tension."

The boy quickened his pace slightly. "I think you are right - their Majesties and several other important nobles were in the palace at the time."

As they approached, Suri suddenly felt her stomach churning, and slammed up Empathetic shields. "They're distraught. I sensed that much before I put up my shields." 

This time, they were not met with a scene of total destruction - _then again, Oz wouldn't want to have to rebuild a palace. _Suri followed as her companions ran up the stairs, then froze for the third time that evening. In front of her, the two boys had done the same, but Trowa recovered quickly, moving to kneel beside Quatre who was sitting on the ground, aquamarine eyes bright with tears. "Quatre?"

The blonde stared up at him for a second, then pointed wordlessly at two figures beside Mili, then at Duo and Heero, who were crouched at the other side of the room.

"Oh gods..." Suri and Wufei moved to the prince's side, the girl noting that Mili, too, had unshed tears in his eyes. "Mili..."

The prince nodded without looking up, then brushed his palm lightly over both his parents eyes, lowering their eyelids. "They were targeted." A long pause, then he gestured to the cousins across the room. "As were their parents."

Suri looked at him uncertainly, then gave him a brief hug, saying softly, "I'm sorry... sounds dumb, hey?"

Mili's lips turned slightly in what could have been the beginning of a grimace. "I think we all are." He took a deep breath, glancing quickly at his parents' corpses. "Trowa, Wufei, your parents aren't here - we don't know what happened to them."

Both boys nodded solemnly, and Wufei said, "Mine celebrate Zolt'é differently; it is custom. If they are alive... they will take care of themselves." Then, formally, "I am sorry for your loss."

The prince looked at him, tired but dignified. "As I am, for yours."

Suri would have cried, watching them both, had the situation not been so desperate. _This... oh gods. I can't believe they can be so strong, even when... _A muffled sob interrupted her thoughts, and she moved quickly to kneel beside Duo and his cousin. The braided boy gazed up at her, violet eyes bright. "Suri..." His voice choked and he gestured blindly at the four bodies before him.

The girl looked down at what he indicated. Both cousins' parents lay side by side, their faces portraying what could only be described as terror. Gently, Suri repeated Mili's action, smoothing the eyes closed, and wrapped her arms around Duo. The braided boy trembled then began to shake in earnest as the unshed tears began to fall. Suri held him for what seemed like hours, then he pulled away, the normally animated face dull as he stared at his parents' corpses.

The girl turned to Heero, who's cobalt eyes were as impassive as ever. _How does he hide it all? I mean... those are his parents, his uncle and aunt... _Impulsively, she enveloped him in a hug, feeling the youth tense and relax slowly before he withdrew from her embrace. ...I'm okay. 

Suri glanced at him sadly, then sent him a quick wave of reassurance and did the same for the others. _If that helps at all, I'll be eternally grateful for my gift... _She stood, slowly, and looked around. _Is it safe to stay here? I know they'd want to, but..._

As though he caught her thoughts, Mili rose and said, "We should get out. Oz didn't do all this for fun - they are invading Sanq for good. The lack of security is partly to blame."

Duo, too, stood up, his face incredulous. "We're just going to let them?"

Mili turned to him. "Think, Duo. We can't win. They're fresh, unburdened by shock and grief. Definitely powerful, if they were able to pull this off. And they probably outnumber us by more than ten to one."

"But..."

Heero interrupted him in his usual monotone. "They don't know we aren't dead."

This time, they all looked at the boy, then Mili nodded slowly. "You know, you're right." Blue eyes flickered quickly across each of their faces. "And we should keep it that way."

Trowa spoke up quietly. "There are enough indistinguishable bodies in the hall to make sure of that."

The Asian boy nodded. "And once we rest... we can plan revenge."

The prince glanced quickly at his half-brother, whose face hardened. "I'm fine. And I agree - too many innocents have died. Let us go."

Heero understood and began shaping a portal once more, then they all stepped through. Cobalt eyes scanned the room quickly, as though memorising the exact details, and hardened, before Heero, too, followed.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All went as according to plan, Your Majesty. 

Aye. Definite victims include the King and Queen and all six of the ministers. 

The brown-haired man nodded. And their children? 

Lucrezia Noin answered, We suspect their bodies are part of the ones which are burnt beyond recognition. 

Good. Une, go with Noin and report to His Majesty. Ronterdo, stay with me - I have to officially declare Sanq conquered and under Oz rule. 

The two women sent affirmative, and the long haired one added, Be careful... Treize. 

He nodded. And you. Trying to ignore the cold triumph in the eyes of the Mage beside him, he continued, Ronterdo, re-establish the shields, and send a quick message to the kingdom with a report of our success. 

Your pardon, Majesty, but I already have. 

Treize raised an eyebrow, then quickly removed the frown from his face. Then you may rest. Be on alert. 

Yes, Your Majesty. 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Hours later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seven figures crouched in the shelter of some bushes. "Are we far enough?"

A boy with platinum-blonde hair paused in consideration, then nodded. "We should rest."

"Mili..."

The boy stood abruptly. "Don't call me that - I can't afford to have anyone learn my identity."

A female voice spoke up softly. "Then what should we call you?"

Blue eyes closed, recalling the sight of what had been his home for the past sixteen years, then opened again and hardened. "Until I get revenge for what happened to my people, I do not deserve the name Milliardo Peacecraft. Oz struck at six. Let me be called - Zechs. Zechs... Merquise."

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Notes:

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[1] - I got most of the info on Wufei's marriage from the manga scans of Episode Zero, which can be found at . You may like to go and look at them sometime - Wufei is so cute with his hair down!

[2] - Nataku = 'strong one'... at least, according to someone else (I don't remember who - blame it on my memory), it does. But unlike the part about Wufei's marriage, the details about Meiran's death were made up.

[3] - If you recall, I did say they were all telepaths. But just as it takes effort for a voice to carry over long distances, it takes effort for a telepath to communicate when the other/s are far away. Therefore, Heero chose to communicate with Suri, who had the telepathic gift. 

And the story has *finally* begun... it took a lot longer than I expected, to tell the truth. But the prequel ended at Chapter Eight, in case anyone was wondering. *peeks out from behind the screen* How did that go, anyway? Lots of dying, I know - but that happened during the war as well. 

School is starting again (I was on holidays before), and I also have relatives over, so don't expect the next part in a hurry. I've got it planned and all, but it still won't be easy to write. And I don't like short chapters because those usually end at cliffhangers. I'll try my best to get it out by February 3rd. 

Chocolate, ice-cream... what other foods are there? Um, does anyone like pizza? Lasagne? Pasta? Reviews? *grin* 


	10. Windriders

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Disclaimer: _Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Wufei, Mili, Treize, Relena, Hilde, Catherine, Dorothy, Sally, Noin and Une aren't mine... every other thing is! And omae o korosu to *everyone* who steals them! *curls finger around trigger*_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, some OOC, heaps of magic_

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Notes: _Yippee! I got ten reviews this time! *grin* (See, it seems like a lot to me...) _

Mariel Yuy: We have good taste! (In food, anyway.) This is going to be long, though - it was Chapter Nine before the actual war started. Didn't mean to take that long, but still... it turned out that way, ne? Did you get my second email? And by the way, thanks... the "persuasion" worked, didn't it?

Duo's ONLY Chick: Thanks! And that *was* lucky, wasn't it? But thanks again for the review, and I'll try and keep the plot going!

Katie: Nup... both Ronterdos are Oz mages with grudges against Sanq. (see the beginning of Chapter 5) But having traitors is an interesting idea, hey? Hmmm... *grin* And the last bit of your review is true - you'll have to read on and see how it works out!

Landlady of the Universe: I luv Italian food too. *grin* And you'll have to keep bugging me about Zechs and Suri for a *long* time... they're both gonna be single for a while yet! (or maybe not... hmmm) Yeah, poor Wufei... *sniff* But I've got to stick with the story, ne? And I'm gonna make BOb fat with another pack of choco *here you go*. Maybe you can invite me to that villa sometime!

Patadragon: Cool name! Thanks - I love the characters' personalities, both in the actual anime and when other authors develop them differently. And the death and sad bits... *sniff* I guess they had to happen, right?

Finny: Pasta and Q-ball... I've suddenly got this really funny picture of Quatre stuffing his face full of pasta - you know, bulging red cheeks, wide eyes and all. *grin* And something bad will happen one day - pinky swear!

Mistique: Thanks for the review! And about Relena - hmm... you'll have to wait and see. *grins evilly*

Rokjai: You know, I was wondering - what does your name mean something in a different language, or did you choose it because it sounded good? Or is that private? And you're right, the story finally goes somewhere! *cheers*

AikoNamika: Ooh... I guess I *will* have to hurry up, ne? I'm glad you like the story - I wish I could make chapters magically appear as well! (Saves me having to type the thing out! hehe) 

Mariel Yuy's Next Door Neighbour: Hi - um, both to you and to Mariel. I'm glad you like the story, and just as glad you reviewed. *grin* So here's another bowl of pasta, if you're not yet full!

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Part X: Windriders 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Two days later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri looked up, grimacing as she saw the greyness blanketing the sky. _Oh gods - we *really* don't need a storm right now. _They were exhausted, not so much physically as emotionally, but exhausted all the same. The fear of being pursued was all that pushed them on; that, and a need for supplies. _We didn't get much time to pack, did we? All we could do was detour past the clearing and collect some food. _That was exactly what they had done before fleeing - it was lucky that all of them made a habit of carrying their credits with them, or even restocking would be impossible. Then they had made their way through trails and minor roads, stopping only for brief rations and for Heero to regain his strength.

Thinking of Heero made her glance sideways at the boy - he was paler than usual, but plodded on steadily with the rest of them. The fleeting surges of fatigue her Empathetic gift sensed never showed on his face, which remained as impassive as ever. _I still can't believe he managed two portals within two hours - apparently, *one* is difficult enough for a Master Mage. And even then, the backlash of energy is supposed to keep the Mage in bed for hours. I hope we get to rest soon, if only for his sake..._

As if responding to her thoughts, Mili - _Zechs_, Suri corrected herself - scrutinised the surrounding areas, checking for landmarks. "We should be at Zhahalivar in about a candlemark."

They all signaled their acknowledgement, but otherwise remained silent - none of them had much energy to talk, even if they had wanted to. The candlemark passed with barely a word said, though a few drops of rain drizzled from the sky. Sure enough, they were at the edge of the small town named Zhahalivar after a king several centuries ago. Suri's eyes flickered over the place tiredly, then blinked and looked around again, taking in the deserted streets. _Strange - I'd have thought this place would be in an uproar after what happened. Or haven't these people heard about it?_

Beside her, the other boys, too, had become alert. Even the usually cheerful Duo was grim as he muttered, "This isn't right. News should have reached Zhahalivar by now, unless..."

Unless Oz is capturing all the people travelling to, from or past the palace. The prince's lips thinned as he switched to telepathy.

Wufei frowned. How's that possible? For one thing, Oz doesn't have enough soldiers to cover all the possible routes - that would have taken an army, and we would have sensed it. For another, Telepaths can send information even when they are captured. 

Heero shook his head. Magic or telepathic shields can stop the latter. 

The girl tugged absently at her dripping hair. That would take a tremendous amount of energy, wouldn't it? 

Yes, but Adepts can do it. And I suspect they have more than one person doing the shielding. 

The prince nodded. But what about the former - it would take even more energy to place magical barriers on all the roads, wouldn't it? And they wouldn't destroy the roads; then they'd have to rebuild them. 

What - Quatre turned his head abruptly, aquamarine eyes wide.

Quatre? 

I feel something... northwest, I think. 

Suri turned her face in that direction, brows knitting together. You're right - fear. An awful lot of it. Pain... oh gods. She reeled slightly, then slammed a shield over her Empathetic gift.

Besider her, the blonde whitened as he, too, shielded himself. Trowa looked at him in concern, but after a moment, Quatre sent, It's death... I've got to go. 

But Quatre... Zechs hesitated, then squared his jaw. You're right. They *are* my people - I still have a duty to them. 

The prince was already moving in the direction his half-brother indicated, and his companions followed without another word. It took them several tense minutes, but when they got there, Suri couldn't help wishing that they had taken longer. _This... oh gods, this is too similar to..._

Oh gods. Quatre's mind-voice echoed. This - is like Zolt'é... 

They all stood frozen for a few seconds, though it seemed like hours. Before them was what could have been a replay of the slaughter two nights ago... but slaughter done upon innocents, sparing nobody - not the children, nor the sickly, nor the elderly. Again, the corpses lay scattered on the ground, some charred, some still recognisable, but all quite totally dead. Suri closed her eyes, trying to calm her terror, then gasped. Q, can you sense it? 

The Healer glanced at her then reached Empathetically, before his eyes, too, widened. Sending a quick affirmative, he broke off at a sprint in the same direction as before.

Suri and the others followed, the prince sending, Suri, what is it? 

There is more fear coming... not everyone is dead yet. 

Shock flashed across all their faces and several arms reached for hidden weapons - or in Wufei's case, a katana. Heero did similar, but frowned suddenly and paused in concentration for a quick moment before continuing. But instead of a group of youths running in tattered but obviously well-made clothing, they were a party dressed entirely in black, from tunic to shoes to the small cloth covering their faces. In fact, only their eyes - the single visible part of their body - proved they were indeed humans, not shadows moving in the near-dusk.

Suri kept running, but sent to Heero, Illusion spell? 

An affirmative. They continued running, weaving here, turning there... to be met with the sight of about thirty soldiers standing in a rough circle around a group of terrified townspeople. Trowa's hand shot out, preventing the smaller blonde from running to their aid, and the seven of them crouched in the shadows of a building. Zechs glanced around quickly - _the soldiers are clad in Oz colours... unsurprisingly. The people - hell, that would be more than half the town. But that soldier there... _ Heero, who's the person in the robe? 

Cobalt eyes narrowed for an instant. Can't tell; his shields are strong. A Telepath, most likely. 

Suri looked up, then closed her eyes in concentration. ...I think so too - someone tampered with the townspeoples' minds. They're conscious, but can't do anything against his will. 

Zechs was thoughtful for a moment, then sent, We have to do something. Heero, I know you're low on reserves, but can you blind the normal soldiers? 

Temporarily, yes. They have no magical protection, so it won't take much energy - the Mage did not expect resistance. 

Good. Quatre, stay here - if any of us are wounded, do your best to Heal us. Try to calm the people or terrify the soldiers Empathetically. Suri, stay as well, but shield us; we can't afford to have him discover who we are. Take out anyone who may hurt the people, and keep an extra layer of Telepathic shielding around Wufei. On my signal, Heero will blind the soldiers then attack them physically. I, too, will be fighting them. Wufei, you are to combat the Telepath - just distract him long enough for Trowa to kill him. Trowa, do not show yourself before you have a chance of success. 

Suri nodded, like the others. _This seems unreal - like I've detached myself from my body or something. If anyone had told me I'd be doing this three years ago, I'd have declared them insane... _The signal came. Instantly, the soldiers began clawing at their eyes, some more desperately than others. She could see the fear on some of the faces; the blonde beside her was doing his job. Heero and the prince emerged, slashing through the line of soldiers. A wild, unaimed slash cut into Zechs' arm. After slamming an extra shield around Wufei, who was heading straight for the Telepath, she finished the earlier offender with a bolt of fire... then froze as his feelings of utter terror penetrated her shields even as he died.

__

Oh gods - did I just... Suri felt a hand reach for her own, then relaxed as a flood of calm flow from the blonde into her. Quatre nodded slightly before directing a surge of Healing energy to his half-brother, whose wound began healing straight away. Wufei was combating the Telepath with his katana, and suddenly, Suri felt something jolt against her shields. _Shit - he's trying to attack Wufei mentally... _Concentrating all her energy on blocking the probes, she didn't notice as a small, almost invisible needle flew out from the shadows - right into the Telepath's neck. She did, however, see the momentary rush of surprise on his face before he gave a gurgle and fell. Wufei's onyx eyes flickered to the shadows, then he drew his katana across the Telepath's neck before cleaning and resheathing the weapon.

Trowa stepped out as Heero and Zechs finished the last of the soldiers, and knelt beside the Telepath's body, retrieving a tiny object. Wufei turned to him. "Poisoned?"

The taller youth nodded, wiping it and dipping its tip into a small vial before hiding it once more. "Ravulju."

Quatre, who, like Suri, had emerged from their hiding place, gave a small gasp. "But isn't that..."

"It was outlawed, but there are few poisons that can equal it."

The prince gave him a long glance, and emerald eyes stared back impassively. After a few moments - _and a private mental conversation, probably _- Zechs nodded and turned to the body. "I really have no idea why Oz would massacre a town this way..."

At that moment, small murmurs began among the townspeople - _who, at some point, must have recovered. Mili - Zechs - will have to explain things..._

Sure enough, the prince moved to stand in the middle of the crowd, raising his arms for silence. "Peace. An Oz Telepath had coerced you all into coming out here, where his soldiers surrounded you. They are now dead, but I would advise you to be wary and to guard against further attacks."

Suri raised an eyebrow. _Is that all he's going to say... oh. I guess 'passers-by', like the ones *we're* pretending to be, wouldn't do much more than that._

After a few minutes, a man stepped up and bowed, formally. "I - we thank you for your aid, Mister... pardon me, but would you tell us who you are?"

For the first time, the prince seemed stuck - Suri could see him struggling against all he had been taught as a child, against his duty, against himself. Before she knew what possessed her, she had stepped forward and answered, "We... we are the Windriders."

Instantly, Suri regretted her hasty speech, and fought hard to resist the urge to clamp a hand over her mouth. She could feel the eyes of her companions on her, but after what seemed like a decade, the prince nodded slowly, before drawing himself up solemnly, adding, "We stand between Sanq and the Oz terrorists - and while we are here, they will not win."

Emotions flickered across the minds and faces of the people, but gradually, in the midst of all the disbelief and fear, a small thread of hope sprang into life. The prince glanced at Suri and gave her a small nod, before turning back to the crowd. "We shall need to purchase supplies before we move on - are there any merchants around?"

That broke the spell, and the crowd stood, some plainly bewildered, some squaring their jaws and preparing to face what happened, some moving solemnly to check the corpses for friends and relatives. Zechs and Duo began spirited bargaining sessions with several traders, and after obtaining some necessities, they left, heading north towards another town. 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Two hours later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tydos is dead?" Anokiv Ronterdo, son of the chief Mage of Oz, gave the messenger a penetrating stare.

"Y-yes, m'lord. We are not sure how; the bodies were burnt."

Beside the Mage, a girl asked. "What are the townspeople saying?"

"They are talking about a group of black-clad people called the Windriders. Apparently, this group was what killed Telepath Tydos."

Anokiv nodded and waved his hand in dismissal. After the messenger hastened off, he turned to the blonde-haired girl. "What do you think?"

"It is strange - I have never heard of such a group."

"Nor have I. And someone in that group would have to be a Mage or a Telepath to have killed Tydos."

"Can you scry and find out what happened?"

"Too far away. Now we have to find a way to hide the evidence of that attack from Treize - damn, I was going to blame it on gypsies."

The girl narrowed her pale blue eyes. "Why do you work for him anyway?"

Anokiv turned to look at her. "Simple, my dear. Oz has armies, supplies. And revenge is still revenge, either way."

"Then why slaughter the people?"

The Mage's eyes took on a dangerous glint. "Sanq shamed my father, and thus, my name - I'm making its citizens pay."

The girl said nothing, her expression carefully guarded. _It is people like him that cause death and wars... I'll show everyone what a war *really* is._

Anokiv, however, appeared not to notice. "I will blame it on undisciplined soldiers - Treize never trusted Tydos, who had his own revenge to exact upon Sanq, as do all the people under my command. Treize knows that." He gave the girl a calculated stare. "It _would_ help if people in the army were talking about how restless Tydos and his soldiers have been."

The girl nodded, her mask slipping back into place as she smirked. "Ah, yes... hmm - Tydos and his men _have_ been rather distracted lately, haven't they? So much so that quite a lot of people have noticed... at least, they will notice by tonight."

The Mage's eyes glinted in satisfaction. "I certainly hope so. A good evening to you, Dorothy."

"And to you."

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri sat against the tree trunk, listening absently to the cackle of flames. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Mil- Zechs, why didn't you tell them what happened at the palace?"

The prince turned to her tiredly. "They'll find out eventually. But they should find out the way they usually would - and I want them to react the way they normally would. It keeps things from going even more out of balance than they already are."

The girl nodded in acceptance, hesitated slightly, then added, "I'm sorry for butting in."

Surprisingly, Zechs gave her a half-grin. "Don't be. My mind was totally frozen - I wouldn't have been able to answer. And 'Windriders' seems as good as any other name."

"I had a feeling you wouldn't want to sound too godly or too evil, and 'wind' seemed to work."

Duo smirked. "I wouldn't mind sounding godly."

Beside him, Trowa shook his head. "Then the people would depend on us to work miracles."

The braided boy gave a theatrical sigh. "I guess I'll stick with being a Windrider, then. But at least now, we know that Oz didn't block all the routes too and from the palace or something."

Zechs nodded. "True. But why would Oz attack such a town in the first place?"

Quatre answered instantly, "They wouldn't. Oz wanted to rule the whole continent; their job would be considerably more difficult if all the towns were destroyed."

Suri frowned. "But weren't the soldiers in Oz colours?"

The prince answered, "Yes. That's why it's strange. We'll have to try and find out more - at least we burnt the bodies of the soldiers, so Oz won't know anything more than what passes through word of mouth."

Heero spoke up monotonously. "That's not the only strange thing. I have no idea how a single Telepath obtained enough power to control even a quarter of Zhahalivar, let alone the whole town."

The girl nodded emphatically. "Exactly - I was wondering about that as well. And it's the same for... the other night. Killing so many people in so many different places, then disappearing without trace afterwards would have taken a _lot_ of energy."

"I doubt they disappeared - probably shielded themselves."

Wufei said, "That would have taken a lot of energy as well. But I, too, have a question - Trowa, where did you learn the use of poisoned needles?"

The taller youth looked at him, then replied quietly, "I think you all suspected that I took lessons in assassination - I even mentioned as much when I introduced myself to Suri."

The Asian boy nodded, but Quatre turned to him, aquamarine eyes concerned. "Trowa... be careful with that ravulju. I don't know if I'd be able to force it out of your system."

Trowa gave him a slight smile. "Don't worry, I'm almost immune to its - "

He was cut off when Wufei stood suddenly, his hand on the hilt of his katana. "Who's there?"

A rustle sounded from the bushes and two tangled heads emerged slowly. Suri's silver eyes widened in shock at the sight of the two bedraggled looking children, one of whom was standing protectively in front of the other. The Asian, however, was not impressed. "What are you doing here?"

The one in front - _the older one, I think _- looked ready to bolt, but visibly steeled himself and managed to stutter, "P-please, m'lords... me 'n me sister smelt the food, see, and we was starvin'... I'm sorry, m'lords."

"Leave."

Suri saw the faint hope in the younglings' eyes die, but the older one put an arm around his sister and led her away slowly. Memories suddenly flashed through her head - the cold winter nights when Granny didn't sell enough to buy food, the days when she had been dismissed from the inns and left starving on the streets... Before she could stop herself, she called, "Stop!"

For the second time that day, she felt her companions' eyes on her, but all she paid attention to was the sudden life on the childrens' faces. Stepping up to them, she knelt and held out a roll of bread. "Here - eat it slowly. But stay within the town next time; this place may be dangerous."

From the looks on the childrens' faces, the bread may well have been a treasure chest of credits. They nodded their thanks fervently and disappeared off into the night and Suri returned to sit by the fire, looking at Wufei nervously.

Sure enough - "Onna! What did you think you were doing?"

Had he left out the first word, Suri thought to herself later, she might not have replied the way she did. But he did use the 'onna' phrase, and she reacted by retorting, "What do you think? They were children, dammit - and they were starving! Have you ever lived on the streets in the dead of winter? Do you _know_ how it feels to be faced with hunger, night after night, and have no hope of obtaining food because you're too weak to even beg? Have you ever even _imagined_ living like that?" She took a deep breath, then glared at the Asian youth.

Wufei had nothing to say - after all, he had never lacked in food since the time of his birth. Instead, he gave a 'hmph' and looked away.

Zechs glanced at them both, then interceded quietly, "Enough. Wufei, I don't think the children were a danger to us, and if Suri chooses to sacrifice her own meal, that is her decision. But Suri, I hope you can survive until tomorrow, because we do not have much rations to spare. Let us sleep - I want to start early, to check what is happening in other towns."

They all nodded and soon drifted off into an uneasy slumber. None of them noticed the pair of blue eyes that watched them from the shadows of the bushes, or the lithe body that vanished into the night soon after they fell asleep...

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Notes:

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You know, I really, *really* don't like battle scenes. Can't write them properly, nor realistically - after all, how many authors have actually seen somebody kill another? Somehow, when I'm planning a story, my mind jumps straight from before-the-battle to after-the-battle, never considering the actual fighting. And to think - there will be a *lot* more of it before the story ends. *sigh* I hate speeches just as much (you can probably tell by the terrible quality of Zech's speech) - and I totally suck at them. So... well, the next chapter won't have speeches, hopefully. *grin* But hey, at least more characters are appearing.

The next chapter will take about a week as well - at least, I'm hoping I'll be able to finish it. If I don't get it posted by next Sunday, apologies in advance.

I've been through choco, ice cream and Italian food... does anybody like Asian stuff? Or better yet, a buffet? *winks and points at the lil' review button in the corner* (I'm seriously going to go broke one day...)


	11. Out of Control

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Disclaimer: _The story is mine, and so are about half of the characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, minor OOC, magic_

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Notes: _Thanks, as always, for the reviews, and please keep R&R-ing! _

Finny: Yep, Quatre's going to be in trouble - not mischief-trouble, but trouble anyway. It happens pr-ee-ty soon, actually. And poor Q-ball! Don't beat him up,,, *waves an 'anti-Q-ball-abuse' flag around... grin* But since Trowa comes in his defence, I guess it's okay, right?

Shadowofthevampireangel: Hmm... come to think of it, I think I've read some Mercedes Lackey books before. I've just got a really bad memory, so you'll have to excuse me for not remembering which ones *grin*. But I'm glad you like the fic!

Mariel Yuy: Did you get my email? I tried emailing you from my new account, anoni@fangirl.org, but it couldn't get through. But thank you soooo much for doing the fanart!!!! I had the idea of the starving kids long ago, to tell the truth... just needed a chance to put it in. Suri is, after all, a commoner. And thanks again for the "persuasion"!

Maha: Well, I guess I could say you reviewed, right? Or you almost did, anyway. *grin* So thanks, and please keep reading!

Landlady of the Universe: You like that pairing, don't you? Hehe... And Dorothy... you'll just have to wait and see! (I answer that every time a question is asked... I love doing it! It makes me feel powerful... *grin*.) Here's *two* packs of choco - BOb and Jorge can both have some!

Goddess of Light: I think you'll find out sooner than you think, and thanks for the review!

Katie: I can imagine Oz getting really peeved as well! *grin* And the next chap. is up, so please R&R!

Rokjai: You asked for it - what does your real name have to do with your nicks? (You don't have to answer, I'm just being my usual nosy self ^_^_.) And most of the characters I know anything about *will* turn up, somewhere. *grin*_

Ryla: Thanks for the review. I hope you keep reading!

Shadowoffire: The next chapter is officially out! (Is that soon enough?) Please R&R!

Liliku: Hehe... sorry about that. Cliffhangers are evil, aren't they? You'll know who it is soon, though. ^.^

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Kei-chan: Hi... yeah, I keep doing that. Comes from writing too many History essays (I study it at school). I'll fix it up when I get the time; up till then, I hope you stick with me! *grins in embarrassment*

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Part XI: Out of Control 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Three weeks later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun's warmth slowly permeated the canopy of branches and Suri gave a small sigh of gratitude - she had gotten used to the pace of their journey, but a body frozen by winter drafts wasn't particularly useful, and when that body was also in urgent need of food, one began to wish for a nice warm bed and the oblivion that had existed before Zolt'é night. _Ah well, at least we had one night of rest, in that hotel in Adrium. _It was a blessing that the small town had not yet attracted Oz attention - the seven of them had been able to rent a room at one of the shabbier inns, and had slept comfortably for the first time since they left the palace.

"Suri?"

The girl looked up at the black-clad prince, raising her eyebrows in question - she never spoke more than she needed to; doing so would have been a waste of much needed energy.

"If you're cold, use your gift. Making yourself ill won't do anyone any good."

Had the prince's voice not been tinged with concern, Suri would have suspected Zechs of being irritated at her for being weak; as it was, she merely gave him a small smile, replying, "No use exhausting my gift when it may been needed later on - aren't we arriving in Yvanolé soon?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the veiled glance Wufei sent her, but directed her attention to Zechs as he raised his voice slightly. "We'll be in Yvanolé in half a candlemark. Grab something to eat while you can - I'm hoping nothing will happen, but we can't be sure."

They all did so, though only Duo looked particularly excited at the prospect. She caught Quatre give him a tired smile, and saw the braided boy grin back. _I can't believe he can act so cheerful! But I'm glad he does... we might have died of depression otherwise. It must be so tiring, though, to have to act so inexhaustibly cheerful... _Almost as though he caught her thoughts, Duo winked at her, before stuffing his mouth full of bread and making a face. She chuckled lightly, taking a bite out of her rations, before walking on in silence.

Then... Suri, do you sense something? 

The Healer's mental voice broke Suri out of her half-trance, and she reached out Empathetically, feeling her heart lurch. Oh gods... not again. 

Heero 'glanced' mentally at both of them, but being unable to find any stray thoughts [1], asked, What is it? 

By then, they were mere steps away from the city of Yvanolé. Suri closed her eyes briefly, trying to stall the feeling of dread. It's just the same as before - the same terror and confusion... _The same mental wails, the same desperate worry for family and friends, the same knowledge that there was nothing they could do...... stop it! _She snapped herself out of her thoughts, slamming a shield on her gift. We have to go. North, I think. 

Heero responded by enveloping them all in a magical shield and they hurried on, each trying to forget where they had last seen such deserted streets, such total, eerie quiet... It wasn't long before the source of the terror was made visible. They all ducked behind a building, and Suri turned to the prince, whose face was emotionless as he surveyed the situation. Heero, are they all being mentally controlled like last time? 

Cobalt eyes closed in concentration for a moment, then Heero replied, No, they're still in control of their own thoughts. According to their memories, the soldiers appeared about two candlemarks ago, and they couldn't control their bodies since that time. A Psychic is coercing them. He didn't bother adding the obvious - that unless the Psychic was taken down, the crowd would end up fighting *against* them, instead of with them. _How on earth does Oz get these amazing supplies of energy, anyway? The energy streams around here are weak - even an Adept wouldn't be able to tap enough to control a hundred people. And there must be what? A thousand, at least, who are under control._

Zechs frowned almost imperceptibly. Can you tell who the Psychic is? 

A mental negative. He - or she - is too clever. None of the people saw anyone acting as a leader, either. I suspect the person is in uniform, but that is all I can accurately guess. 

The prince looked around - like the other time, there were about thirty soldiers. _But unlike last time, we can't just attack - otherwise, we would end up killing innocent people. Darn. _ Are the soldiers' minds shielded? 

Just against attacks, not against mental probes. But they don't know who the leader is, either. Apparently, a mental voice just sends commands to the rest of them. 

Weird. Then, an idea occurred to Suri. But wouldn't the leader *have* to be shielded? 

Cobalt eyes flickered, then flashed with an almost invisible glint. ...Yes. 

The prince favoured her with a quick smile. Which means we might just be able to do something. 

The girl nodded, then sent out a quick probe, checking for the existence of shields. It's the one standing left of that Vhukivar tree, I think. 

Heero signalled his agreement and the prince frowned once more. Damn - he's on the other side. Trowa, can you shoot him? 

The brown-haired boy shook his head. He's in range, but too many people surround him. 

I thought as much. So we can't do what we did last time. 

Aquamarine eyes widened suddenly. Wait. The people don't have shields, do they? When Heero shook his head, Quatre continued, Fighting the coercion may be almost impossible, but it shouldn't be too difficult to affect the people in other ways. If we make them peaceful, they wouldn't be able to do more than glare at us, even if their minds told them to attack. 

Zechs glanced at his half-brother, then nodded slowly. That might just work. Heero, how long can you keep an invisibility spell up? 

Two minutes is the maximum; to do more would require tapping into energy streams, which will alert the Psychic. 

That's enough. Here's what we will do - Heero, keep the shields on us to prevent the Psychic from sensing us, and make Trowa invisible. Trowa, when you get into position behind the Psychic, signal us. That should take about a minute. Don't stand far away - people will start moving, and you might miss him. Then, there will be three seconds before Heero removes the shield. Immediately after it is switched off, the soldiers will notice, and the Psychic will react by turning the people as well as the soldiers against us. That's when Quatre and Suri will send peaceful emotions to everyone. It's at least a thousand people, so be careful. Trowa, you kill the mage and deal with the soldiers closest to you. Duo and I will be attacking the soldiers over on this side. Wufei, guard Suri, Quatre and Heero - that way, they can concentrate all their energy on their own roles. Everyone clear? [2]

They signalled affirmative, and once again, Suri felt the eerie detachment from her own body. _Does this happen before every battle, I wonder? _She watched grimly as Trowa turned invisible and moved toward the Psychic. The soldiers were still joking around and making rude remarks about several unfortunate citizens, but she blocked all that from her mind and waited almost calmly for the signal. Then... 

Now. 

She exchanged a quick glance with the blonde Healer and they directed all their energy towards the crowd, sending calm and peace, turning the peoples' attentions from whatever the Psychic might coerce them into doing. _As the saying goes, your mind may think it's in charge, but it's the heart that makes the final decision. _Beside her, Suri felt Wufei glide into 'guard' position, standing between the three of them and any possible attackers. Within that instant, a gurgle could be heard, and the Psychic lay upon the ground. Zechs, Duo and Trowa were each facing off a group of attackers, and for a moment, the prince was hidden amongst the surge of bodies surrounding him.

Instinctively, Suri released the crowd from her Empathetic grip and uttered a quick summoning charm, sending bolts of fire lancing across the bodies of the soldiers closest to the prince, then did the same for the other two youths. In that brief moment, they all recovered and proceeded to finish of the few remaining attackers. Quatre, too, released his Empathetic grip on the people, and the four of them stepped out from the shadows of the building.

Is everyone alright? 

They all replied affirmative to the prince's mental question and he turned to the assembled crowd. Silence reigned for a moment, then a tentative question. "Are you the Windriders?"

Suri raised an eyebrow - _how on earth did they hear of us so soon? But at least we're dressed in black... _Beside her, Zechs stepped forward and nodded. Murmurs swept across the crowd like a wildfire, then the previous speaker stood, revealing a typical middle-aged woman, from modest attire to the long hair held in a clasp. "Please... would you help us rescue our children?"

The prince frowned. "Pardon me?"

A man rose, placing a comforting hand on the shoulder of the speaker, who Suri presumed was his wife. "Our children were taken hostage before you arrived - we're not sure where. We would all be forever in your debt if you help us rescue them."

The seven of them exchanged glances, then the prince gave an almost imperceptible nod. We have to help. 

Wufei sent a mental note of agreement. Involving children in war is injustice - Oz needs to be taught the meaning of honour. 

Quatre looked particularly vehement. The children are innocent! They have nothing to do with this as all... it's plain wrong. I can sense their fear - they're north of the city, not far away from here. 

His half-brother turned his attention back to the crowd. "We'll do whatever we can - but we ask that you stay out of the way. It may make it more difficult for us if we had to look out for you as well as the children."

Again, the murmurs could be heard, but although there were some notes of dissent, most of the crowd voiced their agreement. Those who made as if to argue were quickly quietened by their companions, and the seven of them moved off, the prince asking, How are everyone's reserves? 

Suri replied, I'm about out of Empathy, but my Elemental gift is still close to full potential. 

The blonde beside her added, I am at the halfway mark, Empathetically, but I can use my Healing gift to bolster it. 

Zechs frowned in consideration, but shook his head. No, keep your Healing gift. We may need it. Heero? 

About forty percent Magically, and close to sixty percent in my Psychic gifts. 

The prince sent a mental signal of acknowledgement and they moved on, carefully moving in the shadows of bushes and leaves. After several minutes, the Healer sent, There. 

Sure enough, there was a cluster of perhaps about a hundred children, ranging from mere toddlers to kids of about ten. Around them were a group of soldiers - _they are jeering, so they must not know what happened to their leader. That means their guards will be down... that's good, at least. _But even that couldn't stop Suri's feeling of revulsion as a particularly lecherous-looking guard moved over to stand beside a girl, reaching for her body as she stood frozen in shock, her green wide with fear.

No! 

Beside her, the blonde Healer darted out, his face a mask of agony - with a start, Suri realised he hadn't shielded his gift. _He was feeling all the things these children are feeling, and probably the guards' emotions as well... no wonder. _She reacted as Heero did, sending surges of power to strike at the nearest soldier before emerging from the shadows. Trowa's hand flicked upwards and a guard was down; Wufei's katana moved and another fell. But the remaining soldiers each grabbed a child, using their bodies as shields.

Duo blanched and sent, What now? 

The prince frowned in suppressed anger. Don't do anything. He glanced quickly at Quatre, taking in the unnaturally bright eyes and flushed cheeks. Quatre? 

The blonde either couldn't hear or didn't want to reply - his gaze was fixed on the twenty or so men in the middle of the crowd of frightened children, following their every move. It was painfully obvious that Zechs couldn't was no longer in control, though - and by the calculating looks on the soldiers' faces, they, too, were aware of the fact. Mockingly, the lecherous one reached out for the girl once more, sending a challenging stare at the prince before grabbing at the fabric of her dress.

Suri could feel the dread that blanked the air - a mixture of the childrens' fear and their own. The guard, however, looked oblivious as his hand crept up the young body, feeling, touching... Suri fought the urge to vomit, then - 

"No!"

Quatre's sudden scream caught her attention, but a hoarse cry turned her eyes back on the soldier. What she saw - or rather, what she didn't see - was even worse than before. The man's body was convulsing, his veins and arteries bulging out, his face the very symbol of torture... then he was there no longer. Instead, pools of blood and dissevered organs were splattered everywhere, creating a grosteque picture of violence. [3] Beside her, Wufei shouted mentally, Quatre, _stop it!_

The Healer turned, slowly, as though in a trance, and directed his empty gaze at the Asian, who repeated, Quatre. Stop. 

Aquamarine eyes narrowed and a glint of madness flickered in the normally compassionate depths. Suri barely had time to utter a warning before a bolt of energy came down, lancing towards the Asian...

To be intercepted by a blur of black. Time stood still for several seconds, then the Healer blinked, his aquamarine eyes returning to their normal shade of blue, and stared at the body lying on the ground. "Oh gods... Trowa!"

At that moment, a soldier chose to move, aiming a dagger at Quatre's back. Heero reacted in a flash and almost succeeded in dragging the blonde out of harm's way, but by some quirk of fate, the aim was skewed, and the Healer went down with a small gasp. Following the first one's lead, the other soldiers formed a circle around the seven of them, and before long, the glint of metal could been seen everywhere.

Mili! Suri clenched her teeth as the prince fell, struck at the side by a blade as he warded off an attack against his half-brother. She guarded off an attack with a bolt of dissipating fire energy and refrained from the urge to scream as the braided boy beside her gave a small cry and dropped to the ground. _Oh gods... four of us are down, and I won't be able to defend myself once my gift is used up..._

Just as she exhausted the last trace of her energy, there were several sounds of 'whoosh' and the soldiers fell, one by one, each struck down by an arrow in their back. She felt a pair of arms supporting her as her legs buckled, then everything slipped into darkness...

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Hours later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Stop!" A girl brushed back her brown curls as she peered out the window of the wagon.

There was a jolt, then a greying man emerged from behind the curtains separating the two sections of the wagon. "What is it?"

"I think I see something." The girl's eyebrows wrinkled in a frown and she squinted once more. _Yes, it's definitely something... _"I'm going to check."

The man shook her head in mild exasperation, but followed her obligingly. He didn't expect the sight of dried blood everywhere, and he certainly didn't expect the sight of the body lying on the ground. "Good grief! You're right - something happened here, all right."

The girl ignored her as she hurried to the brown-haired boy's side. A slender hand felt the youth's wrist, then the girl turned to look at her companion. "He's still alive."

The man knelt down beside her, checking the pulse of the unconscious boy. "So he is. What do you intend to do?"

She turned to face him incredulously. "We have to take him to the Healers - you aren't thinking of leaving him like this, are you?"

The man's face was calm. "We're a circus, girl, not a charity. Besides, he will probably die before he gets anywhere."

The girl's face was adamant. "But how can we not try?"

The man sighed, then reached out, lifting the youth's body. "Fine. But Catherine, he's your responsibility."

She nodded, following him back inside the wagon, then sat down, staring at the sallow face. _And you're going to survive._

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Suri struggled to sit up, then winced as a bolt of pain sent her back on to the covers of the bed. Immediately, a figure was beside her, lending her much needed support.

"Slowly... the way you exhausted your energy supplies has left you unconscious. If you don't rest, you'll have a headache for weeks."

Blinking, Suri turned to face the girl beside her, taking in the gypsy garb and wide blue eyes. Suddenly, memories assaulted her - nights spent dancing around a campfire, soothing bedside stories, a childhood friend with rich violet hair and blue eyes... Softly, hesitantly, _"Hilde?"_

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Notes:

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[1] Does that make sense? If you glance at a person, you'd see what? I dunno - you'd probably see what clothes they're wearing, what colour their hair is or something. So if you glance at a person's mind, you'd see all their unshielded thoughts. The seven of them all have varying degrees of Telepathic gift (they said so when they were introducing themselves to Suri), and because they are trying to keep their identities hidden, they'd naturally have shields around their thoughts. Right? O_o

[2] Yes, I know it's strange that Mili - or Zechs - is directing everyone, but he *is* the prince and leader, and these aren't real battle situations, where there is no time to wait for commands. They would have more success if they were coordinated.

[3] Okay, I'm really, *really* sorry about the 'blood and guts' - I hate it, personally. But think about it - Healing 'repairs' a body's organs, so a Healing gift gone rogue would do the opposite, right? It's still disgusting, but still...

Another battle scene... *sigh*. I doubt I'll ever like those O_o. By the way, does anyone know Lady Une's first name? I've seen it before, but I really don't remember where. How did that go, anyway? Yet another two characters have appeared... things are speeding up. There are still several rather important characters to introduce (can anyone guess who they are?), but most are out already. And about Trowa being left by himself - that will be explained. Don't worry, I'm not going to destroy the plausibility of this story any more than I have to.

Again, I'm aiming for next Sunday - and again, apologies if I can't get it out by then, for whatever reason. Who knows... teachers are cruel, sometimes.

*checks purse* That's it, I'm officially broke. I wonder if anyone will review if I ask nicely? Or better yet, if I get down and beg with cute lil' kawaii eyes?


	12. Answers and Questions

Disclaimer: _The story is mine, and so are about half of the characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

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Notes: _I finally got this out! Gomen for taking so long, but I didn't realise typing is so difficult with a broken finger O_o. Anyway, Ch. 12 is out!_

Mariel Yuy: Um... I got the fanart you emailed me, then I sent a reply gushing over it. Then, after Ch. 11 came out, I emailed you through my new account - but I'm not sure whether that one got through. Can you send an email to my new account? I have no idea whether it works. And am I allowed to put your piccie up when I get the site uploaded? (It isn't uploaded because envy.nu has stuffed up, and I haven't got a new host yet.)

Katie: Nup, things didn't go well, did they? I'm evil... but yeah, at least they met the gypsies. Please keep reading!

Vilanda: You'll find out about Trowa's partner soon, I think. And part of the reason I put Suri as part of the group was because there aren't enough girls! (I mean, the only *main* female character is Relena, and I can really see her grabbing a sword and slashing some heads... not.)

Finny: Umm... yeah, Quatre's in trouble. Hehe - I did promise, right? But now he's gonna be sad... *sniff* Oh well, I'll blame it all on you! *grin*

Liliku: Thanks for reviewing - and I'll get around to Trowa. Sometime. *evil cackle*

$!$!$!: Hi again! About the characters... the ones I had in mind (besides Sally) are a group of people, but are probably less important than the scientists (who I'm going to leave out cos' they're cruel). Less important than Dr J, anyway. I think. And since you're the fiftieth reviewer, I'll give you a box of Italian food I was hiding. By the way, it would be 'Midii'... but I'll feel weird having Treize call her that. Treize was the reason for my question, though. 

Landlady of the Universe: I'll get around to explaining Quatre - but yeah, poor guy. You'll find out about what happens to all of them below, though. And yep, Cathy and Hilde have finally appeared!

Rokjai: I know... the chapters are getting shorter, aren't they? They're still longer than my earliest ones, though. Blame it on school, at any rate. But how could Quatre ever be evil? (Well, maybe he was the tiiiniest bit bad, but still... see, if you say he's evil, that means I'm evil too, cos' I wrote him!)

Patadragon: Fight scenes... body parts... blood... grrrr. *shivers* And guts as well, come to think of it. Freaks me out. *grin* And thanks for the review!

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*** To those who have read the unrevised version of Ch. 12 ***

I have corrected a few really stupid mistakes in this chapter, and have also added a large section to the end. Sorry for doing this, but it was really late the other night, and I couldn't get the entire chapter written. I was going to shift the remaining events into the next chapter, but today, as I started Ch. 13, I realised that wouldn't work half as well. I am really, really sorry about this - next time, I'd finish the **whole** chapter before updating it. *grrrrr* (Hint: the section I added begins at "two weeks later".) And to the great people who reviewed - you don't have to re-review... I won't get offended if you don't. *grin* My responses will be in the next chapter!

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Part XII: Answers... and Questions

"Your Majesty."

The brown haired man turned around. "Taasum. What is it?"

"Lady Une and Lieutenant Noin have returned."

"Thank you. Have someone send for them once they are rested."

"Yes, your Majesty." Taasum bowed and made as though to leave, but stopped at the sound of the young monarch's voice. "Your Majesty?"

"Is Anokiv Ronterdo in the common rooms?"

"I have not seen him today, Your Majesty."

The prince nodded and dismissed the man. Only when the doors closed once more did he allow his eyes to flicker in an almost invisible frown.

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"Hilde?"

Blue eyes lit up. "You remember me?"

The raven haired girl closed her eyes, trying to ease the headache she got from the assault of previously nonexistent memories. _Do I? I think so, but... _A flood of emotions suddenly penetrated her weakened shields, and she jerked before slamming a cover over her Empathetic gift. Then, certain that her feelings were under control, she reached out and searched for the source of the emotions Telepathically. They didn't take long to trace - obviously, no effort had been made to shield them. _Quatre! But why would he... oh. _The memories of the fight came back, providing an explanation for the overwhelming grief... and guilt. Turning quickly to the girl beside her, Suri asked, "Where is Quatre? He's the smaller blonde."

The young gypsy looked confused for a moment, but upon seeing her companion's urgency, nodded and hastened out of the tent, beckoning for Suri to follow. The gypsy camp was like Suri remembered, with tents set in circular rows around a central campfire, surrounded and sheltered by trees and, most probably, with watchmen set at regular posts around it. Some gypsy camps had less than ten tents, she recalled, but from what she could see, this one had over thirty. The pair hastened to a standstill when they reached a tent surrounded by a small group of gypsies. [1] Frowning, Hilde motioned for her people to move, and upon seeing the violet-haired girl, they parted and let the Suri through. She made a mental note to ask her companion what her status was, but threw all thoughts aside when she caught sight of the young Healer.

Quatre was huddled at the edge of a makeshift bed, normally calm aquamarine eyes wide and blank. Duo was kneeling beside him helplessly, while Heero and Wufei stood by, their postures alert. A gypsy herbalist was murmuring to the blonde in a low voice. A quick probe told Suri that Zechs was still under a herb-induced sleep, and Trowa was nowhere in sight. For a moment, the girl frowned, concerned at the absence, but at the herbalist's glance, she slowly approached the older youth. Gently, softly, she asked, "Quatre? What's the matter?"

When the Healer ignored her, the girl frowned and motioned the herbalist away, taking the woman's place beside Quatre. _He didn't notice me coming in, and even now, he seems only half aware of my presence. I wonder whether that's because of drugs or something more? _With that question in mind, she mindspoke the herbalist, hoping that the gypsy was a Telepath. Excuse me, but is he drugged? 

The woman's eyes flickered towards Suri as she replied, No. He is in shock - it comes from exhausting any type of gift. You lock yourself in your mind. His case is made worse because his emotions and memories are anything but pleasant, and I cannot get through to him - I don't have Empathy. 

The girl gave a mental nod of acknowledgement; she knew that as well, because it was one of the first things any new student learnt. That was the reason they all used their gifts sparingly - going into shock could be dangerous, especially on enemy territory. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself as she slowly removed her own Empathetic shield. Instantly, a flood of emotions reached her and she shuddered, almost losing her balance. Silently, Heero moved to support her. Suri almost winced away - physical contact always enhanced Empathy, and she wasn't sure what the boy would be feeling. No sudden feeling rushed into her, however, and belatedly, she realised Heero was shielded - Psychic shields, when combined with Magical ones, could defend against almost all types of undirected power, Empathy included.

She sent him a quick nod of gratitude, then, carefully keeping her conscious mind away from Quatre's thoughts, concentrated on projecting calmness. Slowly, very slowly, colour returned to the pale cheeks and the glazed eyes cleared. Quatre. Suri, her gift alert, caught the wave of mental dread before the blonde automatically shielded himself. "Suri?" She nodded, watching as he took one more look around the tent. He hesitated, then whispered, "Where is Trowa?"

Suri turned to the other boys, her eyes pleading with them for an answer. Heero's cobalt gaze was as inscrutable as ever, though the tension in his posture told her more than anything else. Wufei avoided her eyes, and Duo turned away, staring at the hardened earth beneath his feet. She bit her lips - the news couldn't be good, and the tightly reined tension in the air was as heavy as it had been on Zolt'é, though she hadn't noticed it before. Dreading the worst, she looked at the herbalist.

The wizened face softened in sympathy but she replied, bluntly, "Your friend was dead by the time we arrived."

Suri's eyes widened. _No! I was expecting that answer, but... but he can't die. None of them can. We've been through so much, and they're my only family... _She shook herself out of her thoughts, repressing her emotions behind a taut shield, knowing she would pay for that later. The blonde beside her had paled once more, and though he kept his Empathetic shields around him, the guilt and pain was clear in his eyes. An almost inaudible moan escaped from his throat and Suri saw Duo clench his fist, wanting to help but unable to - the braided boy knew he wouldn't be able to calm the blonde long enough to comfort him, much less alleviate his guilt.

The girl fought down her panic - _gods, I've *never* been good at comforting people! My tongue gets me in trouble more often than not. And now I have to pacify a friend - hell, if this is supposed to be some sort of divine test, the Goddess has a *really* bad sense of humour. But I'm the only one who can stop him from suddenly going insane with guilt... what wouldn't I give for someone else to have Empathy as well. But gods... here goes nothing._

"Quatre," she said, carefully keeping her voice unthreatening. He looked up, blue eyes pleading; for what, she didn't know. Suri caught his gaze flickering towards the other people in the room, and, in a flash of inspiration, asked, "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

At his muted nod, Suri glanced at the herbalist, who silently opened the flap of the tent and gestured a small trail leading off behind the tents. The girl took Quatre's arm with a silent message of thanks and they walked quietly towards a small clearing in the distance. She continued sending calmness towards her friend, but by the look on the blonde's face, he was using his gift to filter out all the positive emotions. _Great - I'll bet anything that he's so guilty he doesn't even want to accept help. _Making her way towards the shelter of a large tree, she glanced at him in question. Quatre took the hint and sat, leaning heavily against the weathered trunk, and Suri settled beside him, unsure of how to begin. She was saved the trouble when the blonde suddenly whispered, more to himself than anything, "It's all my fault..."

Suri felt her heart clench as she replied, just as softly, "No, Quatre, it isn't. I'm not sure what happened, but your gift was out of control - nobody blames you."

Agonized aquamarine eyes turned to stare into silver ones. "It is! Don't you see... it was my gift. I was too weak to control it. My weakness... it killed my closest friend."

The girl couldn't think of a reply - had she been in the same situation, she, too, would be taking all the blame onto herself. _What can I do to make him believe me? What would I have done to make *me* believe me, if the situation was reversed? _Her mind flashed quickly back to the events of the previous day, and something occurred to her. "But Quatre, you only acted because you felt the pain the children were feeling - the only difference between you and them was that you had the power to do something. So you rescued them. It wasn't your fault."

"But I should have shielded myself better, and kept myself under control..."

"Then we wouldn't have found them." Suri responded, hoping that the blonde could hear the logic behind her words. "Quatre, listen to me. *Anyone* would have lost control, me included - that's why I didn't dare unshield myself in the first place." The girl blanched as she realised the truth of what she had just said. "Oh gods... if I *had* tried releasing my shields, maybe..."

Quatre turned to her, his expression firmer than it was before. "No, Suri. Remember what you just said - nobody with a heart could have stayed unaffected. It wasn't your fault either. But Trowa -" 

Suri shook herself mentally, and interrupted, "Trowa wouldn't want you doing anything to harm yourself, and that includes wallowing in guilt. Quatre, the best thing you can do is to keep fighting for what he was trying to protect - the people of Sanq." Belatedly, Suri realised something - while the war did not directly affect her before, it had hurt her friends, and that was why she fought with them. But now, it had become personal. The war was hers as well - and she was going to fight_. For Sanq. For Trowa. For... myself._ Taking a deep breath, Suri added gently, "It may seem difficult, but I'll be beside you. So will Duo and Mi-Zechs, and Heero, and Wufei. Don't stand alone... I need you. We all do."

She saw the struggle on the boy's face, and prayed silently that he would listen to her. After what seemed like an hour, a look passed fleetingly over Quatre's eyes - one of resignation, but also one of determination. Suri gave a mental sigh of relief - maybe, just maybe, they'd be able to pull through.

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He opened his eyes. Brown bangs covered his face and he reached up carefully, brushing them away. The motion seemed familiar, as though his body remembered it well, but when he tried to draw up some memories, he found a blank wall. Slowly, he took in the steady jolt against his body and the small, enclosed chamber of wood - a wagon of some sort, something in his mind told him. Emerald eyes glanced around quickly, then the youth reached up again, this time to unwrap the white covers from around his body. He stared for a moment at the bandages, then winced slightly as a bolt of pain lanced through his entire being.

Then, he felt a slender arm against his back, supporting him as a person helped him sit up against the pillows. The touch didn't hurt - whoever it was obviously knew where his injuries were. He began to turn but the person stopped him by moving into his line of vision. It was a girl - slightly younger than twenty, he estimated - with brown curls and blue eyes. The youth observed the girl for another moment - _her clothes are bright; she is probably a performer of some sort. But who am I?_

Almost as though she responded to his thoughts, the girl spoke up softly, as though she did not wish to startle him. "Hi, I'm Catherine. Catherine Bloom. I work with a circus troupe, and we found you lying at the edge of the forest last night. The Healer says your insides are damaged - you'll need to rest for a while before you recover. Will you tell me your name?"

The boy cleared his throat, which felt dry after a day of silence, then replied quietly, "Thank you for your assistance - but I am afraid I do not remember."

Catherine gave a slight frown. "Do you remember anything? Like how you were injured?"

The boy searched his memory but it gave him no answers. Silently, he shook his head. The looked at him for a long moment, then asked, almost shyly, "Can I call you Triton?"

The youth raised his emerald eyes, paused slightly in consideration, then nodded. "You are welcome to. May I ask why?"

Catherine hesitated, then answered, "It's a long story. Do you feel well enough to hear it? You have just woken up."

The boy - Triton - gave a silent nod, so she began, "Well, years ago, when I was only four [2], Oz ran several raids against Sanq. I was travelling with my parents and younger brother at that time - he had just been born, and we were going to visit mother's relatives. But some soldiers cornered us. I was away at that time, having gone off to look at some toys on display, but I watched from the windows as my parents were... killed, and saw the bastards take my infant brother. Sanq retalliated soon after that, I think, but I never knew what happened to him. A man at the store took pity on me and brought me with him - that's how I ended up with the circus." The blue eyes hardened. "And that's how I ended up with a lifelong vengeance against Oz."

Triton noted the hesitation before Catherine said 'killed', and his memory supplied him with fleeting images of torture and rape. He did not speak about the topic, however, instead saying, "Your brother's name was Triton."

Catherine nodded. "And you're about as old as he would be, if he is alive - and you look slightly like father as well. I doubt I will ever find him again, but I have always wanted a brother. If you don't mind, that is."

The boy shook his head. "That's okay - I don't mind." He paused slightly, sensing *something* from his memories, but when nothing surfaced, he continued, "And I will help you fight against Oz."

The girl's face brightened, then she glanced quickly at the bandages covering his body. "Wait here - I'll go get the Healer." With that, she walked lightly out of the chamber [3]... dropping a small, silver object on the way. It clattered a few times against the bounce of the wagon, then settled at Triton's bedside. The boy slowly leaned forward and picked it up - it was a silver locket, the shape of a jaana leaf. Engraved on it was a small bloom of jaaniva. He stared at it for a long moment, searching his memories for _something_ that just eluded him, but when nothing surfaced, he sighed softly and placed the object into his pocket.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Mage turned. "Are you sure about this?"

The blonde beside him nodded. "Grievos is dead too. Somehow, the mysterious Windriders were able to defeat the blood magic."

Anokiv Ronterdo frowned. "I hope Treize doesn't know about this?"

The girl shook her head. "I made sure the men weren't in Oz uniform. The Windriders must have guessed it - I'm not sure how. But their declaration, according to rumours in Zhahalivar, was that they were against Oz, so they would have no reason to attack unless they knew the soldiers were from Oz."

The Mage sneered, "Who else would attack Sanq cities? But as long as Treize is in the dark, it should be okay."

Dorothy nodded. "And there is *some* news that would make our job easier..."

"What?"

The girl gave a smug smile. "He has been called back by the King, who wants a full report. Lieutenant Noin is left in charge here."

Slowly, the Mage's eyes narrowed in an almost maniac glee. "That is good news... very good news, indeed."

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri sighed softly - the blonde had fallen asleep in exhaustion, leaving her tired and alone with her thoughts. In fact, she was so tired that she didn't even notice as four figures approached until a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Suri?"

The prince's voice was gentle and she sat up, startled, then smiled wearily. "You've woken up."

"Yeah. How are you feeling?"

She gave a light chuckle. "Shouldn't I be asking you? But yeah, I am, and I want to find out... find out what happened to Trowa. And why Quatre lost control like that."

Zechs nodded. "That's why I asked whether we could speak to the leader. Are you up to it?"

Suri groaned slightly as she stood up, replying, "We'll just have to see, right?"

They walked in silence towards a large tent - obviously, someone had made good use of the time she spent talking to Quatre. A guard by the tent nodded slightly at them, then lifted the flap and allowed them entry. Zechs entered first, then they followed. Inside, an old man sat next to Hilde, and they both stood up as the group approached. The man spoke up, his voice carrying an aura of one used to command. "Greetings, Windriders, and Goddess bless. I am Luiordo Schbeiker, leader of the gypsies, and this is my daughter, Hilde. She is the one who noticed and asked that we aid you."

The prince bowed - one bowed to the leader of gypsies, who were, in their own right, a rather powerful force. "We are grateful for your assistance, Elder Luiordo, and for your daughter's." As gypsy custom demanded, he addressed the Elder and not his daughter - she was, after all, his property. "I would be further in your debt if you could tell us what you know of the incident."

The man nodded, and motioned for everybody to sit. When they had all settled, he looked at his daughter, who formally began, "I was in Zhahalivar when Oz attacked - in fact, I had followed them there. But as you know, gypsies do not interfere with any political struggle, so I stayed in the shadows. I did, however, see what you did, and out of curiosity, I followed. That night, I was in the bushes when you sat around the campfire. When Suri turned to offer food to the two children, I caught a glimpse of her face - it reminded me of a childhood friend I once had."

"That's when I headed back to camp and asked permission to track you further. That, I obtained, but at the next town, I saw go after the children, and watched as your friend revealed your presence. By then, I was convinced that Suri was who I thought she was, and for that reason, asked for the council's assistance. They agreed, but we arrived too late to save your other friend."

They all sat silent for a long moment, each with varying questions swimming through their minds. Then, Zechs spoke up. "Can you tell us what happened... to his body?"

When the man answered, his eyes held just the slightest hint of confusion. "That is where I cannot help you - see, because you were all injured and your friend was beyond our help, we brought you back to the Healers before returning for his body. But when we got back... he was no longer there. I am unsure of what happened to him."

The prince swallowed, then looked up abruptly, as though reminded of something. "And the children?"

"We sent them back to the village. The men who took them back were dressed in black, as you were."

Zechs nodded, then looked at Suri, who looked up at the elder for his permission to speak - after all, leaders addressed leaders, but she didn't know what her position would be in gypsy societies. When he gave a slight nod, she asked, "Hilde mentioned that she knew me, and I have memories of living with gypsies. Do you have any clues about my past?"

Luiordo sighed, his face suddenly showing signs of age and weariness. "I have some, but I am afraid they won't be what you are looking for."

The girl raised an eyebrow, but prompted, "It would be better than nothing, I think."

The elder glanced at her, then spoke. "Very well. Fourteen years ago, when I had just become the elder, the most powerful gypsy Mage went by the name of Hawkesiur. He is easily equivalent of an Adept, and often travelled to foreign places - we never knew where he went. But one day, he suddenly materialised during a council meeting, his face aged decades beyond his time, with you in his arms. He made us swear to look after you, then passed away. We never discovered any more about his travels, or your origins, but we brought you up as one of our own."

The prince nodded slowly. "Then, when the rumours suddenly started that gypsies were stealing children, you were forced to leave Suri somewhere, so you chose to leave her with a lady."

"Yes." Turning to Suri, Luiordo added, "And that is what I meant."

Suri's mind swam with all the new ideas, but she managed to reply, "I thank you for your answer, Elder Luiordo. I still know more than I did previously, and for that, I am grateful." Then, she remembered something, and asked, "Do you have any idea how our blonde friend attacked the soldiers?"

The man said, "That, I can answer. Your friend is a Healer, but power always goes both ways. One can heal, or one can 'unheal' - that is precisely what the youth did. Instead of mending organs, he imploded them; instead of keeping blood within flesh, he led it out. Because he was angry and wanted to attack, but had no idea how, his gift responded the only way it knew how - by 'unhealing' all the people who stood in the way of his goal of rescuing the children. But I am guessing that you are all tired - rest now, and ask questions tomorrow. You are welcome to stay at us for as long as you need, to recover."

The prince thanked him and they all exited, their minds in a swirl of questions - questions that were totally different to those they had entered the tent with.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Two weeks later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suri sat, her silver eyed reflecting the dancing flames of the campfire before her. Zechs and Duo sat to her right, engaged in an enthusiastic conversation with several gypsy seniors. Their debates flew through a seemingly impossible range of topics, from politics to magic to gypsy culture. On the other side of the campfire, Wufei was waging a mock strategic battle with another gypsy, having learnt the rules of the game several days ago. Heero was using the opportunity to practice a new technique mentioned by a gypsy Mage, and Quatre... Suri turned slightly, peeked at the blonde out of the corner of her eye, then sighed. Though the Healer had accepted that Trowa's death was not entirely his fault - at least, Suri hoped he had - none of them had been able to ease him out of his melancholy. Through Empathy, she saw a fair bit more than the others did, and Quatre's pain was as raw as it had been two weeks ago.

She herself was feeling strange - a few weeks ago, she had no clues about her past except for the gypsy robes granny found her in; now, the the robes were explained, but she still had no idea about her birth. _Before this, I had accepted the fact that I wouldn't be able to find out much about me - it didn't even bother me that much. After all, the past is the past... the future is the future. But it's come back to haunt me. Gods, it's so frustrating! I've come so close to finding answers, but they are still so far away..._

Zechs turned to her and flashed a brief grin, making her smile back in spite of her tiredness. In the past two weeks, the prince had been talking with most of the gypsies - as far as she could see, the conversations unearthed quite a few interesting opinions on both Sanq and the current political system. _That's one good thing about the gypsies. Their neutrality contracts with all the countries lets them travel over the whole continent, so they sometimes know a lot more than even the monarchs themselves. But Hilde hinted at rumours the other day... something to do with gypsies disappearing near Oz territory. I wonder if it has anything to do with the invasion in Sanq._

The sev- six of them had not revealed their identity - they were merely a group of people who had a grudge against Oz and their actions. She felt bad hiding the truth from Hilde, but like Duo said, it was necessary. She looked up, glancing to where her friend sat beside Luiordo, feeling sorry for the daughter of the gypsy elder. The two had re-established their childhood friendship, but from what Suri could see, Luiordo believed heavily in the old traditions - Hilde longed for the freedom she did not have. She hid it well, though, and acted with all due respect and submission - until Duo made a typical "Duo-remark" on the third night. Before Suri had the time to smirk, the two were already engaged in something that could not quite be called an argument, but involved a fair bit of muted yelling all the same.

__

Hilde must be what? The second girl to actually stand up to him - and she's in her own territory as well. I could almost feel sorry for Duo. Almost. While the prince had earned the respect of the gypsies in the camp, Duo had charmed them all into liking him - especially the cooks. The boy could rarely be seen without some delicacy or another in his hand. All of them played their roles to perfection, managing to hide their grief beneath varying masks - but they were masks all the same. 

But in the dead of the night, within the privacy of the tent they shared - though Suri's sleeping quarters was separated by a flap - their emotions were as clear as day. Each of the five boys had known Trowa since infancy, and Suri sometimes opened her shields enough to sense what they were all going through... their feelings, added to her own share of grief, would have overwhelmed her had she not known she was needed. But she had her role, just as Zechs and the others had theirs. And this time round, she would have to be the strong one.

The prince was guilt-ridden - he kept wondering whether he should have given different orders, and somehow prevented Trowa's death. _He blames himself for anything that happens to us... Mili needs someone who understands what it feels like to be in command. _Suri suspected that Heero, too, felt guilty, but because of the boy's shields, she could not read his emotions the way she could read the others'. But there was an almost fanatical feeling to the way he practiced Magic lately - and she could just imagine him wondering what would have happened if he had been more powerful.

Duo, the braided whirlwind, was bending under the stress of having to be cheerful for so many people. She caught exhaustion in those violet eyes more often than before, and had dragged him aside for a talk several nights ago - she hoped it help, but she wasn't sure of much anymore.

Quatre was perhaps the most open with his feelings, even in public... then again, he had always been so. The difference was that while the blonde used to be their group's emotional strength, he now needed their support most of all. Another worry was that the blonde had been weak, lately - physically weak. He had fainted three times within fourteen days, and had painful headaches all the time. Suri had wondered whether the ailments had been caused by the loss of will to live, but the blonde, like the rest of them, had been brought up to take responsibility seriously - he would play his role the best he could. And inside, Suri suspected that he had strength he hadn't yet shown. Even now, he was working on gaining control of the darker side of his Healing gift.

Wufei, too, was under an attack of guilt - in his eyes, Trowa had saved his life, and the Asian was therefore bound by the life debt. The older boy's death had, however, made the repayment of that debt impossible, and from what Suri understood of Wufei's culture, the boy's ideas of self-worth were determined by a strict honour code. He was now worthless in his own eyes, having failed a duty to a friend. Only constant occupation of his mind kept him from tormenting himself even more than he currently did. Upon realising that several days ago, she had enlisted the help of Hilde, who, in turn, had persuaded several gypsies to engage in a strategy game in front of Wufei. After observing a few games, Wufei had quietly asked permission to join in, and since then, had progressed through the ranks until today, he had the opportunity to battle one of the seniors.

Just as Suri was about to excuse herself for the night, a shadow darted out of the bushes and approached Luiordo. It moved with all the stealth and subtlety of the gypsies; had she not been signaling goodnight to Hilde, she would be missed it. As it was, she caught the almost invisible frown as it crept across the elder's face, and signaled for her companions to silent themselves as Luiordo stood and looked directly at them. After the crowd quietened, he began to speak. "Our spies have just received the news that Prince Treize Khrushrenada of Oz, upon receiving a message from his father, is returning to his country. He is within two days' riding distance. Be ready to travel by the morrow's seventh candlemark." Turning to the prince, he added, "Would you remain for a moment?"

Zechs nodded and the rest of them, too, stayed behind as the other people returned to their tents to pack. They exchanged glances - this meant they would have to leave, unless they stayed with the gypsies. Suri frowned slightly, then sent, Why do they have to leave? 

The prince replied, They are no longer sure about their neutrality with Oz - there have been rumours of strange things happening near Oz territory. 

Suri 'nodded' - that tied in with what she heard. The elder waited until most of the gypsies had left before beckoning for them to go to his tent. Once they were settled, Luiordo asked, "What are your plans, Windriders?"

Zechs took a deep breath, glanced quickly at each of them, then stated, "We will continue to fight Oz whenever we can, and in whatever ways we can."

Luiordo nodded as though he had been expecting that reply. "You would appreciate that once you leave, our neutrality contracts prevent us from providing any assistance to you."

The prince, too, nodded, hiding a sigh - he knew this would happen, but like the rest of them, had hoped the gypsies would aid them. Outwardly, he merely bowed and said, "We are grateful for your assistance as it is - should you have need of aid in any way, contact us. If it be within our ability, we will help you."

The elder stood and opened the flap, answering, "Thank you. Luck be with all of you." He hesitated minutely, then added softly, "And to you, Prince Milliardo of Sanq."

Suri jumped, but if the prince had been shocked, he gave no sign of it; he simply nodded and returned the blessing. _Then again, I should have expected it. After all, the gypsies *do* have spies everywhere... _The six of them left, going back to the tent for a final night of peaceful sleep before they had to move on.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The next morning *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We're leaving today. The prince had wanted to make a discreet exit so they had woken early, bid the elder farewell a final time. As they parted, Luiordo took her aside, pressing a small item into her palm. "This is yours, Suriku. It may be a link with your past. Look after it well." Before she could reply, he had turned back into his tent. The girl glanced around her - the others had gone to do a last-minute inventory check. Slowly, she opened her clenched fist, staring down at the object in her palm.

It was made of a material she had never seen before - transparent, like glass, but lighter and less fragile. The object was perfectly spherical, with a hole near the top for stringing. Shaking it lightly, she gave a small gasp as small, shining flecks swirled around the inside of the sphere before fluttering lightly to the curved inner 'ground'. _Gods, what is this? I don't remember anything like it... if it wasn't perfectly unmagical, I would have sworn a Mage created it. Hawkesiur... if he *is* as powerful as Luiordo claims, he may have created this... or he may have gotten it from one of the places he travelled to. If only he was still alive..._

"Suri?" A soft voice called.

She turned around, then smiled. "I didn't think you could make it."

Hilde rolled her eyes. "I thought you trusted me more than that." Then, the girl's face turned serious and she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I know that father cannot help you... but I'm not sure I believe in those neutrality contracts with Oz any more. They had been broken once, decades ago; they can be broken again. I can't act against father's wishes without being denounced, but I can tell you something - Treize Khushrenada is heading north, passing Sahkron, before cutting through the Fort Ranges to Pierot in Oz. Anokiv Ronterdo is in charge of matters in Sanq while he is gone."

"The Mage?"

"The one and only. Be careful. He doesn't like Sanq."

Suri gave a wry smile. "Zechs told me about him. Thanks, Hilde... and good luck until we meet again."

The violet-haired girl gave her a hug. "You too, Suri. Now go - your friends will be waiting." With that, she disappeared into the bushes.

Suri glanced after her for a moment, then turned back to the tent. She told them what happened Telepathically, leaving out the gift from Luiordo - she didn't feel like sharing just yet. Especially when she, herself, was unsure of what to do. As she 'spoke', cobalt eyes flickered quickly towards her, and she had the uncanny feeling that Heero knew she was hiding something, but he didn't say anything and neither did she. The prince decided that they should follow Treize at a distance and try to uncover more of his plans, so they moved north. 

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Hours later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quatre kept a careful shield around his emotions - Suri had enough to deal with without his feelings burdening her. The shock of learning about her past before realising she still had no idea about her origins must have been disheartening, to say the least. The need to shield was becoming tiring, though - that was why he had retreated behind the shelter of the trees after dinner.

They had set up tents a short distance away from the city of Sahkron, not wanting to waste credits on inns when they had slept well for the past two weeks. In the quiet of the night, he could let his shields rest slightly, and let himself feel the emotions he had kept at bay for what seemed like a century, and face the memories of happier times...

__

*** flash ***

... the shock on Trowa's face as a two-year-old Quatre decked his barely existent fringe with flower petals, claiming it was 'pretty'...

*** flash ***

... the awkward arms that comforted Quatre after he realised how his mother had died...

*** flash ***

... the quiet days when they had sat together, sharing their thoughts and dreams...

*** flash ***

... the trust in the emerald eyes as Trowa handed him a silver, leaf-shaped object on his fourteenth birthday...

*** flash ***

... the sudden wave of pain as Trowa collapsed, sending a fleeting 'message' of forgiveness before he drew what must have been his last breath...

*** flash ***

... the blank confusion of one who had no idea about his identity or his past...

The blonde started, brushing the tears away from his aquamarine eyes, wondering whether he was imagining things. _No... there it is, I can sense it. Gods, the Empathetic aura is so similar to Trowa's... _Almost unconsciously, he had stood up and was moving towards the city. Guided by the persisting surges of emotions, Quatre roamed the half-deserted streets, then stopped as he reached a cluster of colourful wagons.

Several men were busily heaving boxes and circus props onto a wagon - a quick Empathetic glance told Quatre that they were not who he sought. Others were checking cages and bringing food for the animals, exchanging playful insults as they worked. One - a tall youth - worked alone, accomplishing his tasks with a quick efficiency, but sparing a few pats for the smaller creatures. The blonde gasped and moved closer - _no, it can't be! He's supposed to be dead... I killed him..._

Some strange force must have taken over the blonde's body - he felt himself approaching the stranger, though every part of his mind advised otherwise. Belatedly, he heard himself ask, "Trowa?"

Emerald eyes looked up and locked with blue. They stood motionless for what could have been a century, then the youth straightened, stating politely, "I'm sorry - you must be mistaken. I am Triton Bloom, a worker with this circus troupe."

Quatre felt his heart contract. He blinked back tears, then, drawing on his years of self-discipline, managed to whisper, "I'm sorry. Good night." Turning, the blonde stumbled blindly back through the streets, his emotions in turmoil.

He didn't see the brown-fringed youth clutch his chest and sink to the ground, emerald eyes confused...

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Notes:

__

[1] - The gypsies were around not because they could sense Quatre's turmoil, but because they were curious about the new strangers. Not surprising, really, but I really wanted to make this clear.

[2] - I don't know the exact age of Catherine when this happened. But she is nineteen, while he is fifteen, so there is a four-year age difference, and I said that Trowa was adopted as an infant, so it fits, right? And yes, that will be further explained.

[3] - The wagons I'm referring to are like caravans, except they're mad of wood. They have a dividing wall against the centre (yes, each resulting 'rooms' are small, but *can* fit a narrow bed). Trowa - Triton - is in the inner room.

That wasn't particularly eventful, I know, but you really don't want mutated intestines in *every* chapter, right? And muses are demanding salary now, which makes things a lot harder, considering my not-yet-existent financial state. But yes, I *will* explain the bit about Trowa! Honest.

As I said at the top, I've broken a finger, and typing is as difficult as hell - it's annoying to type at what? About 30 wpm when I normally type at 80. Add that to the horrendous assignment load coming up, and I'd say I was being a bit too optimistic in hoping I'd get the next chapter out in a week. I'm aiming at a fortnight, but however long it takes, but I'll try to make the chapter a good one, 'kay? 

*shakes a few coins out of purse* Guess what - I've been working overtime this fortnight, so any nice reviewers out there will get a free meal at Maccas (McDonalds). And thanks to the people who reviewed last time when I was broke! *bounces happily*


	13. Debt of Honour, Part I

Disclaimer: _The story is mine, and so are about half of the characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

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Notes: _Thanks for the reviews, both before and after I revised Ch. 12!_

Finny: You're cruel! Poor lil' Quatre... oh well, he'll be fine soon. I think. *crosses fingers*

AyanamiChan: Thanks! And I think I'll be writing as long as I have ideas and reviews! *grin*

Mariel Yuy: The emails finally got through, ne? *rolls eyes* Took long enough. But thanks again for the fanart! Suri is the coolest, especially in that outfit. And Hilde as a gypsy... you can cross your fingers and hope she'll come back later on in the story! Oh, and did you get the email I sent you after you sent me the ponytailed-Trowa pic?

Liliku: Oooh, thanks soo much! *jumps around ecstatically* Me got money!! Now I can do less part-time work and do more on this fic! Or I would be able to if we didn't have exams coming up... grrrrr.

Rokjai: Thanks! Hey, did you get my email reply? It *should* have been sent, but I really don't trust that server much.

Landlady of the Universe: Did you read the revised version? It sorta sped up a little. Anyway, please keep reading!

Emcron: Thanks - I'm so happy when readers like Suri. You never know how OCs will be received O_o. I love the way you said Quatre "thinks Trowa got squashed"... it cracked me up, for some reason. *grin*

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*** IMPORTANT ***

To those who read Ch. 12, I have revised it (the revised version came out one week after the first one), and added about three thousand words to it. It's quite a lot, and something important happened, so if you haven't read it, you may not understand what happens in this chapter. Please go back and read it first! It begins after "two weeks later". Sorry for the inconvenience - I won't do it again!

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Part XIII: Debt of Honour I

"Triton?" The girl peered out through the window of the wagon, then jumped down and called once more, "Triton!" A muffled sound came from the direction of the cages where the animals were kept and Catherine turned to investigate. When she saw the shadow crouched on the ground, she hurried over. "Triton, are you okay?"

There was a silence, then the youth gave said in a half-dazed murmur, "Trowa."

"Huh?"

He looked up, then. Emerald eyes stared right in to hers, but without the carefully hidden frustration from before. Rising, he repeated softly, "My name. It's Trowa. I... I remember, Catherine - Cath."

She didn't know how to react. Firstly, to the fact that his memory had returned. That she could no longer pretend. Then, secondly, to what he called her - Cath, instead of Catherine. She had been asking him to do so for the last to weeks, but he had never done so. Until now.

He seemed to be expecting her to say something, but her tongue remained stubbornly silent. She couldn't look up, though he was now at eye level. A breeze ruffled her hair and she trembled slightly - she hadn't noticed before, but it was approaching the middle of winter. She felt cold. Then, something warm brushed across her cheeks and she glanced at the youth before her. Trowa, he had said his name was. Not Triton. Never Triton. She was as alone as before. [1]

The touch came again, smoothing away the tears that trickled down her face. Tears? Yes... how strange, she hadn't noticed she was crying. That must have been what Tri... Trowa was doing before. Brushing her tears away. He was still waiting, though - she could sense it. Catherine looked up, steadying herself as much as she could. In a whisper - she wasn't sure she trusted her voice - she asked, "You remember? Everything?"

Trowa shook his head slowly. "Not everything. But vague memories are coming back. He... he's in many of them."

"He?"

The single eye sought hers again. "The one who helped me remember. He's crying."

"Huh?" She could only manage one word at a time - she would berate herself for that, later. But not now. Not yet.

"He's crying. Hurting. Cath... I have to go to him."

The voice was soft, apologetic. But firm. She knew his mind was decided - in a way, she had known that he would be leaving her ever since he said he remembered. _I had hoped for a brother... but I guess it would never be. I'll never have a proper family... _It was strange - she hadn't known she'd be able to care for someone so much in such a short space of time. As he rested for the last two weeks, they had talked - or rather, she had talked, and he had listened patiently, and when her words ran out, they had sat together quietly in each other's company. He was a great listener. She had to say something now, so after a moment of blankness, she chose, "But your injuries..."

The youth shook her head. "Not even the doctor was able to explain how I healed so quickly. I'll be fine."

Yes, that was true. The doctor had been downright shocked - according to the initial diagnosis, Tri- Trowa should have taken months to recover. _If_ he recovered, the phrase was. After all, not that many people recovered after having their organs literally torn apart. But he had, and was as healthy as any other youth she knew. "So... I guess it's goodbye?" She hadn't meant it as a question, though it came out that way. After all, she knew the answer.

A nod. "I will see you again."

For some reason, she felt anger building up inside her. How dare he leave, after... after she had bared her soul to him. How dare he leave her alone again, when... And how dare he lie about coming back, when she knew he never would. Then, she saw the look of pain in the emerald eyes. The look of pain that echoed the glint in the eyes of the hardened war veterans she'd met, the look that came from having seen too much, having done too much. From having tasted death firsthand. And she felt her anger melt away. "Trowa... just how much do you remember?"

For the first time, the youth allowed a flicker of uncertainty flash across his face. "I'm not sure. But there is something I need to do, something that affects more than just me, or the people I know. And he's linked to it, somehow." Trowa's eyes searched hers, looking for what? Understanding, perhaps. "I have to finish it, or I'll never be at peace."

She nodded mutely, accepting his choice. He reached out, awkwardly, and held her in a half-embrace. Then, he turned to leave. She hesitated for a moment, then called, "Wait!"

Trowa looked back in question. She took one step closer to him, then reached into her pocket and withdrew an object, pressing it into his palm. "Take this - it brings good luck. I hope it keeps you well."

He looked down. It was the silver locket he had returned to her two weeks ago, the one with the jaaniva bloom engraved on it. The sole possession that her parents had left her. He stared into the moist blue eyes for a long moment, then caught the look of fierce determination inside. Pocketing the locket, he nodded once, then graced the girl with a rare smile. "Thank you... Cath. Goddess bless."

The tears fell again, but this time, Trowa didn't brush them away for her. He was already walking away. Softly, almost inaudibly, she whispered into the wind, "Goddess bless. And Trowa... though I'll never see you again... you'll always be my brother."

__

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Wufei spun around at the sudden noise, his hand drawing his katana in a swift motion. Then, catching sight of the approaching figure, he relaxed and lowered his weapon. There was a low rustle as his companions did the same. His onyx eyes were alert, though - Quatre was running towards them, his movements less coordinated than usual. _He would never have made this much noise, normally._ _What happened?_ Wufei, like the others, had assumed that Quatre was resting early. Now, it was obvious that the blonde had been doing otherwise.

Suri and Duo had already risen, both moving to stand beside the trembling figure. The girl's face was a mask of concentration - Wufei assumed she was using Empathy. Catching the look of pain flash across her face, he felt a sudden surge of respect for her. His family had never been one to encourage the display of emotions - and he agreed with them. When feelings were suppressed, they could not distract him. But that made him all the more uneasy when others _did_ show theirs, as the Healer was so blatantly doing at the moment. He didn't know whether he would have had the strength of mind to actually reach out for other peoples' emotions. He would have to apologise for calling her an onna two years ago - it was dishonourable, judging her on the basis that she was female. Especially since she had risked her life with them and with less reason - after all, if she had chosen to leave and continue life working in inns, she could probably have avoided a lot of pain. And she was no longer as sarcastic or disrespectful as she had been at the beginning.

The girl was whispering softly to Quatre, and slowly, the blonde sank to the ground, glanced around at all of them, and made a visible effort to pull himself together. Wufei heard Suri's ask, What happened, Quatre? 

The mind voice carried a strong soothing touch; Wufei had a feeling it was directed at all of them. For a moment, he wondered why the girl used Telepathy, then recalled the training sessions he had undergone at the Psychic Collegium and nodded to himself. _Of course. I should have realised - mindspeech is more intimate, so he'd be able to feel our support, or at least, 'hear' our supportive thoughts. And we'd be able to catch any stray thoughts in his mind._

I- I think I saw Trowa. 

What?! 

Duo's mindvoice echoed Wufei's thoughts. After a stunned silence, Zechs sent gently, Are you sure, Quatre? 

There was a hesitation, then the blonde answered, Yes... his Empathetic aura was the same as Trowa's. I felt it and followed it... and found him, near some circus cages. He... he did not recognise me. 

Wufei saw Suri wince in pain as the last sentence was sent, and involuntarily tightened his grip on the katana. _Can it be true? The gypsies said he was dead. But auras can't be counterfeited - that's why we were warned never to let anyone except those we trusted see our auras. Because once another person got a single glimpse of an aura, they would be able to recognise it at any time, in any place, no matter what disguise or shield was used. But that means... _He glanced around and saw his companions reach the same conclusion. This time, Suri was the one who sent, Did you talk to him? 

The blonde nodded. That's how I knew he didn't know me. He said he worked with the circus. 

Suri closed her eyes in concentration. At length, she opened them again, saying, I can't sense him - either my gift is not strong enough, or I don't know him as well as I need to. 

There was a pause, then Zechs glanced at each of them. I guess we go physically, then. At their affirmative, the prince continued, He's in Sahkron? Another nod from the Healer. Then lead on, Quatre. 

The blonde stood again, his face tired, and Wufei saw Suri give his hand a squeeze. Duo did the same and they walked on, silently but briskly. Zechs' face was worried, though he hid it well. For his half-brother, and for all of them. Wufei did not envy his role - it was selfish of him, but he did not want the responsibility for other peoples' lives, especially when those people were his friends. As they drew near a cluster of colourful wagons - rather extravagant ones, Wufei thought privately - the blonde stopped. Aquamarine eyes flickered across the area, the blonde head shook slowly. He isn't there anymore. I can't sense him. 

Wufei hid a frown. _If only I could be sure Quatre didn't imagine Trowa - I wouldn't have blamed him for it, if he had. It's been... stressful. _His thoughts were interrupted by a mental whisper from Suri. Don't doubt him - he didn't imagine it. There is... it's hard to explain, but there's a feeling around here. It's something I've only ever felt around Trowa and Quatre, and even then, only when they were together. 

The speech was sent to the four of them privately, so Quatre didn't hear any of it. But when Suri also supported Quatre's claim, Wufei found he could not, in good conscience, doubt the blonde. So he looked around carefully, then said, That onna standing there - she looks as though she's a part of this troupe. 

Zechs nodded. Come, Quatre. We'll go ask her. 

As they approached, the girl turned. Wufei was slightly taken back to see the streaks in her makeup, but as with the rest of them, refrained from comment. Quatre and his half-brother exchanged a glance, then the blonde shook his head and moved forward, obviously deciding to do the talking himself. "Excuse me... do you know a boy named Trowa Barton? He's fifteen, quite tall, with a long brown fringe and emerald eyes. Oh... and he may have called himself Triton Bloom."

Wufei raised an eyebrow at the last sentence - Quatre hadn't mentioned the name. Th girl looked at them for a moment, then glared at Quatre. "Are you the person he talked to?"

The blonde blinked. "I... guess so."

There was a pause, then a sudden 'slap' made them all jump. Quatre's hand was pressed against his cheeks, his blue eyes opened in surprise. Wufei felt a rare anger build inside him. Zechs lay a brief hand on his soldier, restraining him, and said in a cold voice, "Excuse me, lady, but I am concerned that you attacked my brother without provocation. I would ask that you answer our question honestly."

At the sudden formality of Zechs' speech, Catherine, too, blinked. In that instant, the fight seemed to go out of her and she turned away. At length, she whispered, "I love him like a brother."

"Pardon?" The prince wasn't sure whether he heard her correctly.

"He had no memory - we found him at the brink of death two weeks ago. The doctor wasn't sure whether he'd ever recover but he did. Because he didn't remember anything, I called him Triton, after... after my missing brother." The girl looked at Quatre. "Then you came along. You did something... I don't know what... but you made his memory return. He - Trowa - is gone. To search for you."

A shark intake of breath. Wufei watched both the Healer and the girl carefully, but neither moved, both simply staring at each other. Silence stretched on, then Quatre nodded. "Thank you. Which direction did he take?"

Silence again. Then, a curt answer. "Northwest. He'll be going out of Sahkron."

The blonde thanked her again. They were turning to leave when he added quietly, "I love him too."

Blue stared into blue and for a moment, all was still. Wufei felt something in his heart constrict - Quatre had meant his words. The girl's eyes moistened. "If you find him, take care of him."

The Healer reached into his sleeve, withdrawing a handkerchief and offering it to the girl. "I will."

The girl nodded and turned, walking slowly back towards the wagons. Wufei realised they didn't even know her name. Zechs gave his half-brother a squeeze and said to all of them, "Shall we split up? There are several trails that branch from Sahkron's north." They nodded affirmative. "We'll meet back at our camp in two candlemarks. Quatre, I want you to go back. You won't be of any help to Trowa if you become ill." The blonde was about to protest, but Zechs added, "And if he changed direction and headed south instead of north, I want someone there to meet him." 

There was nothing the Healer could say to that, so he bit his lips. "Take care, all of you."

__

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Trowa stilled himself, listening for the slightest noise. _There's a fire over there - and people are surrounding it. I wonder if _he_ is there? _Much to the youth's frustration, he still barely remembered his past. He just knew that he must find the blonde. Taking a careful step forward, he let his body find the places where the leaves wouldn't rustle, where no small animal would sense him and make a noise in fleeing. This exercise seemed familiar, somehow. So familiar that when his preoccupation made him step on a small Mage-trap, he had the presence of mind to spring into midair, draw his dagger and meet his attackers with a blade.

There were about ten men in all. _They're average fighters, and not trained as a unit. I have a feeling I'll be able to beat them. But by then, the noise would have alerted whoever's in charge - though if reinforcements come, this is the best place to fight. Not many can stand around me at once, and it's too small for ranged weapons. But assassin-tricks..._ He wasn't sure how he knew all of this, but somehow, he did, and he intended to make the best use of that information. The boulder to his east that had a thick trunk beside it; he slashed and leapt up, catching the man beside that boulder unaware. A quick stab and the man fell, leaving the protective spot empty. Trowa ducked, grabbed a few rocks off the ground and aimed them at the closest three faces, then backed up against the spot before drawing the blade through the closest throat. Across from him was a cluster of bushes - they were too closely packed for a man to hide in. Two of the ten were dead, three more had fallen. That left five.

He ducked again as another blade came at him, then something in his mind flickered and he saw a small layer of ice crust around the attacker. _I can do that? Yes... I remember, now. _Transferring the dagger to his left hand in a fluid motion, he used his free hand to grab the sword from the man before launching the dagger at one of the remaining soldiers. _Three left._ He no longer needed the protection of the boulder - it had stopped an assault before, but now, it simply limited his movements. Trowa waited till the next attack came, then without warning, launched himself into the air, pushing his feet against the trunk and landing on the other side of one of the remaining men. He slashed. _Two left_. Hooking his feet beneath one of the bodies, he sent it into the face of the closer man. In that brief moment, he grabbed another discarded weapon and hurtled it into the chest of the other. There was a gurgle. _One left. _The last man was beginning to look nervous. Trowa took full advantage of that and attacked, wielding the sword with an ingrained expertise. _Lunge, duck, parry... there! _He drove his sword into the exposed flesh, then drew back, automatically wiping the blade on the clothing of one of the bodies. He had just retrieved his dagger when, suddenly, he sensed movement behind him and spun around.

A figure stood in the shadows, holding a bow. The arrow was trained at his throat. As he rose, slowly, the figure drawled, "Well, you certainly fought well. Ten men, was it?"

He ignored the question, staring straight at her. When she spoke again, the drawl was gone. "Ten of _my_ men, I might add. New recruits, of course - real soldiers would never be so lax or so careless. I would suggest you come back with me before I loose this arrow at your throat."

Emerald eyes quickly surveyed the situation - there was no escape. She was too far to disarm, and he had a feeling she didn't care much whether he was dead or alive. Then, suddenly - "Let him go."

The woman turned slightly, eyes widening at the blade next to her neck. She froze for a moment, then smirked. "You kill me and your friend dies with me. Treize doesn't particularly like his soldiers being slaughtered - if I don't bring anyone back, I'm likely to face punishment anyway."

An Asian youth moved out from the shadows, keeping careful watch on the woman. Trowa? Are you alright? 

He nodded - something about this boy sparked memories. His name was... Wufei? 

A mental nod. I'm glad you remember. Now listen carefully. The moment her arrow is not aimed at you, leap up and cut to the southeast. Follow the trail until you reach Sahkron again, then go south. You should find a camp there. Tell the others not to come looking for me. Do you understand? 

Trowa frowned inwardly - he understood. Enough to sense what was being left unsaid. What are you planning? 

My sword is too far away from her to kill her without her loosing the arrow. I don't know how good her aim is, so I can't risk it, but my other hand is next to a pressure point. Jabbing it will make her knees buckle for an instant, so she wouldn't be able to shoot any vital areas. 

And you? 

I will fight my way free. 

Trowa stared straight at him, instinctively knowing that the Asian boy would never do so. His honour prevented him from fighting women directly. You know I won't leave you here. 

You will. I owe you. Wufei, too, was looking straight into his eyes.

How? 

Quatre was attacking me. You saved me at the risk of your own life. I'm in your life debt. 

__

And you'll have to repay it before you can accept yourself again. His memory was returning; Trowa could feel it. He would have to let the Asian repay the debt, or Wufei would never be at peace. _What are the official words again? I remember learning them once... ah. _ Very well. Chang Wufei, you owe me a debt-price equal to that of a life. If you repay to me that life, you will be officially discharged from that debt. We will once more be equals and your honour shall be redeemed. 

There was a silence. Then - Thank you, Trowa. Fare well. 

And to you. Trowa took one last look at the boy he knew was his friend, then steadied himself, preparing his muscles for a launch and somersault.

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei saw the other boy glance at him and knew it was a signal of readiness. He focussed the strength of his arm into his index finger, then, in a swift motion honed by years of training, pressed into the woman's pressure point. She gave a low gasp and Trowa was off, his body springing above the skewed arrow. The woman rose almost instantly but Wufei kept his sword at her neck, preventing her from moving until he thought Trowa was sufficiently far away. Then, he lowered his sword and bowed slightly, saying, "I apologise for raising my weapon against you. I offer my sword to you as a sign of apology." [2]

He caught the incredulous look on her face, then the slow glee as she realised that the something that kept him from killing her just then would continue to stop him doing so. She took the offered sword and glanced at him once more, as though checking to see whether he would leave. _Stupid. She has the weapon now - besides, even if I *could* best a blade empty-handed, I can't attack her without her attacking me first. _When he didn't move, she smirked and dragged him by his sleeve, bringing him past some small trails to a campfire. As she walked past, the people bowed their heads slightly - he wondered what her rank was. There was no time to contemplate, however, because she led him into a sombre tent, literally handed him over to a pair of guards and moved to whisper something into the ears of a person whose face was hidden in the shadows. At length, the figure nodded and motioned for the woman to leave, before turning to Wufei. The Asian boy bit back a gasp.

"Well." Treize Khushrenada of Oz said, his blue eyes almost amused. "You corner Une, attack her to free your friend, then offer her your sword and apology. Now would you like to introduce yourself?"

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Notes:

__

[1] - Is this really OOC for Catherine? I really don't know. I actually have no idea how her character is like, so gomen if it's totally wrong. In this context, though, I think it works okay.

[2] - I know I would never do something like this, but I'm Chinese - some people *did* do that. You can't fight women, you can't fight unarmed people, you can't... you get the point. To do so would be a blight to your honour, and you had to make up for it. And the life debt - there's a saying that goes "a life for a life". If someone rescued you at the cost of their life, you would rescue them at the cost of your own. It's custom. And no, it doesn't mean that if a woman attacks you, you can't fight back, but it means you can't be the one to draw the sword first. And Une never attacked Wufei. 

Different POVs this time - I really hadn't meant for the story to become totally Suri-orientated. It's easier to write from her POV, though, most of the time. But at least this time, I stuck to my promise and won't be revising - that's why this is Part I. Part II will have a confrontation between Treize and Wufei - I'll enjoy writing that. And yes, I *will* explain Trowa's miracle healing... anybody want to venture a guess? If you leave an email address and guess correctly, I'll email you back. And a hint - it's got something to do with Quatre.

My broken finger is still driving me mad - and the doctor says I've overused a finger on the other hand. Must have come from trying to do everything with my left hand. *sigh* I'll go for a fortnight, though. Expect the next chapter out by then!

At the moment, I'm saving up - in a couple of chapters' time, I'll be able to send all my reviewers on a 3-day cruise. At the moment, though, I only have a couple of days' salary plus the five dollars Liliku gave me. But please review anyway? *chibi eyes*


	14. Debt of Honour, Part II

Disclaimer: _The story is mine, and so are about half of the characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

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Warnings: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

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Notes: _Thanks for the reviews, both before and after I revised Ch. 12!_

Mariel Yuy: There *must* be a phase going on, hey? And the review wasn't short anyway. *grin* Treize does have blue eyes - I typed "brown" before because I was going to write something about his hair, then changed my mind, but forgot to change "brown" to "blue". Anyway, hope your hand gets better!

SilverShinigami: Um... since you reviewed Ch. 13, don't worry about the message. *grin* I just meant that I was going to delete that chapter. I'm glad you like the story!

Landlady of the Universe: *grin* That was from the TV series - or at least, I tried to make it so it was obviously from the series (I didn't actually watch any of the series or Endless Waltz [*], so I'm glad it worked. By the way, with Une... hmm. You don't expect me to tell you, right? *evil cackle* But seriously, do you know of any good Une shrines? I need a *lot* more info if I'm going to make her believable.

Finny: I liked Wufei in that chapter too... he's cool. I might just give Quatre a break for the moment - the other characters have to be tortured for a bit. Does the sprained wrist get you out of exams?

Stephanie Yuy: Hehe... at least I haven't got that many chapters - I was reading a fic with more than 150 chapters once, and I couldn't stop... I swear my eyes were going to drop out. I like the GW-like events... they're fun to write! Anyway, I hope you keep reading!

GoldenFlame: Thanks for reviewing... I'm glad you like Trowa! And Wufei was due for some bad luck - after all, he's been kinda lucky so far, and it's not fair if the other characters get all the problems. *grin*

[*] - I wasn't going to tell anyone that, but it came out, didn't it? So to make it official - I've never seen a single episode of GW or Endless Waltz, and my first taste of GW was in the form of a picture of the guys. (Good impression, if you ask me. *grin*) I got all my information from websites, manga scans and most importantly, fanfics. Statistical information was from the sites, but info about the characters' personalities came mainly from other fics. I have a pretty good idea of what the pilots are like (most fics are based around them, after all, and I'm pretty good at sorting out which were OOC and which were not), but with less ficced-about characters, like Une, I'm having a hell of a time getting information, personality-wise. Any good links will be appreciated. *grin* Oh, and I love GW all the same - I'm just not allowed to watch TV. If I can afford a TV, I would watch it, I swear. *sigh*

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Part XIV: Debt of Honour II

The Mage scowled, turning to the girl beside him. "Hellfires, this would be so much easier if Noin was out of the way."

Raising an elegant eyebrow, the blonde countered, "Would it? With her in charge, we don't even have to worry about the day-to-day matters."

"But that means any decisions *I* make will have to go through her."

"Not at the rate things are going." At his questioning glance, Dorothy Catalonia smirked. "Rumours have a strange way of spreading - right now, half the soldiers, including the ones who were away when the prince issued his orders, have no idea who is in charge. Some say you, some say Noin and others are plain confused." [1]

"But that's several thousand..."

"Which is why it helps that Noin is totally unmagical - a little nudge in a few heads doesn't take *that* much power, especially when you engage in so many... interesting activities." [2] _It also helps that you don't really keep track of what's going on - that makes *my* plans a great deal easier as well._

A slow grin spread across the man's face. "Of course. Our young prince really shouldn't have taken Une with him - but then again, lovers really don't like being apart, do they? But now, the soldiers will take orders from basically anybody... splendid, my dear. Especially when I have a special guerilla force on hand for dealing with these Windriders."

"Oh?"

Anokiv smirked. "A group of trained mercenaries with no loyalties whatsoever, rumoured to be as ruthless and efficient as any company you'd ever see. Their price is tremendously high, I must add, but the outcome should be well worth it." A pause, then a narrowing of eyes. "Besides, vengeance is sweet."

"Ah." The girl hid her disgust at the last sentence - _why on earth are men so... naive? _"You have contacted them?"

"I have _contracted_ them - I just had no idea of how to deploy them without a great deal of hassle... until today, of course."

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Wufei hesitated minutely, then bowed from the waist - it was common sense to bow to monarchs, even one fighting on the opposite side of a war. Even one who had given the order that led to his wife's death. Straightening, the Asian youth looked straight into the calm blue eyes. "I'm afraid not, Your Majesty. It would be... inconvenient, to say the least."

The prince didn't react to the sarcasm, slight as it was. He merely graced the youth with a bemused look, before asking, "More inconvenient, I presume, than getting yourself captured by an enemy?"

__

How on earth did he know he was my enemy? Outwardly, Wufei merely nodded. "A lot more so."

"Then I hope your allies appreciate your loyalty."

__

Damn - I slipped; now he knows I have companions.

Glancing at the carefully expressionless face, Treize continued, "But I hope you appreciate that I, too, have my loyalties, and that doing anything except killing an enemy would be seriously compromising those loyalties."

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South, always south... he sped noiselessly past the trails, then through the city as the Asian boy - Wufei - had instructed. Nobody saw him, he was sure of it. He seemed to be sure of many things without knowing why. In this case, his body seemed certain of its actions, as though it had had years of practice. Which, logically, accounted for why he could be certain that the rare passer-by - usually a half-sober drunk who could actually remember that he had a home or a homeless beggar with no such luxury - would not notice him, especially when he instinctively remained in the shadows and alleys when he could.

His name was Trowa. It was a relief, remembering that. And the blonde... his brows creased, and he closed his eyes briefly. The aquamarine eyes, the shy but generous smile - his memory drew a blank. What had Wufei said? Quatre. Was that it? Strange, how his memory was returning in such a disorganised way.

He ran past another street. South, always south... yes, there it was - the gate out of the city. He slowed, and deliberately walked on the darker side of the road - the blood stains were not obvious, but caution was always best. The guard barely glanced at him before turning and arguing about the outcome of a dice-toss with another man. A camp, Wufei had said. That seemed very plausible, to him, though his conscious mind could not fully grasp the reason for sleeping outside the protection of the city walls. Lack of money? That could well be it. That, or the wish for privacy, which he could also relate to. Either way, he was going to have to approach the figure sitting in desolation on that jutting boulder...

That *blonde* figure sitting in desolation on that jutting boulder, the slender shoulders dropped in a well-remembered slouch...

"Quatre?" His voice sounded hoarse, even to his own ears. The blonde turned at the quiet sound, eyes widening, and stood abruptly. He made as if to rush forward, then visibly held himself back.

"T-trowa?"

Yes, he remembered that voice. Nodding mutely, he felt his heart clench at the uncertainty and pain reflected in the blue eyes - the pain and uncertainty that he, no doubt, was responsible for. He stepped forward, hesitating slightly, unsure of how he would be received...

And felt himself enveloped in a tight embrace as the blonde leapt at him, burying his face on the taller youth's shoulder. Trowa froze. Quatre didn't seem to notice, and after a long moment, Trowa slowly put his arms around the blonde, patting his shoulder awkwardly. Suddenly, he stilled once more. This position... it seemed familiar, somehow...

__

*** flash ***

It was warm, for a winter morning. His outfit - a simple riding tunic - did not include the coat he normally wore. And for once, Trowa could see the sun as it peeked out from the peaks of the Kydlope Ranges instead of the usual silver-grey clouds. Murmuring soothingly, he stroked the mare's dapled mane, and she knickered lightly in response. The youth smiled slightly, then cocked his head at the sudden sound. Giving the mare a final pat, he sent her off to the pastures, before turning and walking towards the noise.

"Quatre?" Trowa halted beside the crouched figure, emerald eyes concerned - he and the boy had never gotten along too well. Quatre had been spoilt by the servants because he didn't have a mother, and was often arrogant and temperamental. The six of them - Mili, Heero, Duo, Wufei, Quatre and himself - still played together, but Quatre caused arguments more often than not.

"T-trowa?"

He nodded. The blonde hesitated for half a moment, leaned forward and buried his head in the other boy's shoulder. Trowa froze. Quatre didn't seem to notice, and after a long moment, Trowa slowly put his arms around the blonde, patting his shoulder awkwardly. They stayed that way for what seemed like forever, then the sobs gradually eased off. Pulling away, slightly embarrassed, Trowa asked gently, "What happened?"

Aquamarine eyes stared up at him from the tear-streaked face and Trowa pulled out a handkerchief, pressing it into the other boy's hand. He waited patiently as Quatre blew his nose, and choked out, "It's my mother. She... she died because of me."

"Oh." It seemed like all he could say - he and the others had known for years, of course, but on the king's command, they had never told the blonde. Now he wondered whether that had been wise.

Quatre didn't seem to notice his silence, however, as he continued, "I've always blamed her for not being there, but... but I heard Nonisa - she's the servant - talking with someone, and sh-she said my mother died when giving birth to me... and it's all my fault..."

Somehow, Trowa found his voice. "Quatre, it isn't your fault. Mili once told me that the king said your mother knew it would happen... she decided to have you anyway."

Anguished eyes looked up. "But don't you see, that makes it worse... I've been *blaming* her all these years... I've said so many bad things about her..."

"She would forgive you. You just didn't know any better."

"She's still dead. Nothing will bring her back..."

"...It's okay, Quatre." He hesitated, then continued quietly, "I'm here for you."

*** flash *** [3]

"It's okay, Quatre," Trowa whispered, "I'm here for you."

Slowly, the blonde pulled back, staring straight into the emerald eyes. What he saw made him smile - a radiant smile that made all the tear stains inconsequential. "Trowa... you're back."

"Yes." He didn't need to say anything more - the blonde understood.

Quatre didn't reach for him again - the taller youth had always been uncomfortable with physical contact. Instead, he smiled again, saying softly, "I'm glad."

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A silence. The wind whistled past the leaves outside the tent, and a bird trilled in response. Another moment of stillness. Then - "Yes."

Onyx stared into clear blue for a long moment, then the prince turned away, saying quietly, "This would be easier if I even knew *why* you were my enemy."

The Asian youth was grim as he answered, "Perhaps you could ask that question of my now deceased wife, whose vengeance I swore to enact." _And whose vengeance would now be impossible. Meiran... I'm sorry._

Treize glanced at him, then sighed heavily, "I see."

Neither spoke until Wufei looked up suddenly. "Your Majesty." The prince cocked his head, and he continued, "How did you know I was your enemy, and not just a passer-by?"

Treize smiled tiredly. "Believe me, I didn't. But it is a rather useful strategy for making captives talk, is it not? Besides... even if I was not an enemy in your eyes, you would be one in Une's for freeing a man who killed ten of her soldiers."

"I see."

Another long silence, then the prince spoke up, almost thoughtfully, "There seems to be a lot that honour can compel. Do you regret it, anonymous soldier from Sanq?"

__

So he guessed my nationality as well. Having nothing to say but the truth, Wufei replied simply, "A great deal, Your Majesty. And no, I do not." He paused, wondering whether to say what was on his mind. _I might as well... I am already his captive, as he said_. Choosing his words carefully, he continued, "Without a sense of justice, life is meaningless. It leaves a person with no sense of direction, and with no proper reason for his actions. It makes for both an unloyal friend and an unworthy enemy."

The ensuing minutes were so quiet that, when a sudden burst of laughter sounded from outside the tent, both youths started slightly. Finally - "I can see the reasoning behind that statement. And in a way, I agree. But tell me, anonymous soldier... what do you do when your loyalty to your people is different to that to yourself?"

Wufei felt a genuine shock, but let none of it show on his face. For a moment, he wondered how to reply, then stared calmly at the handsome face. "Should it be, Your Majesty?"

The answering gaze seemed older and more weary than any youth's should have been - rather like his own, Wufei reflected. The response, again, was surprising. "No, it should not. But things can affect one loyalty and not another. And when that happens... you end up treading a path you do not like, but that you are bound to. Duty, too, can become a burden. And when it does, a sense of honour may become a curse."

The Asian youth pondered the statement carefully - for a moment, it was as though he was once again sitting in the Collegium, debating the merits of some strange philosophy or another. Then, he nodded. "Yes, it may. But if you ask me to sacrifice my beliefs - and thus, my sense of who I am - because of other peoples' orders, I would refuse."

Treize looked at him appraisingly, then his lips quirked. "Perhaps, perhaps not. But either way, I am still at odds as to what I should do about you, anonymous soldier."

Even as his heart pounded at the perilous situation, Wufei felt an odd surge of amusement. _Trowa kills ten armed men, I free him and get captured myself, before holding a debate with an enemy prince about philosophy... and now, I am asked to give an opinion on my almost-certain fate? Duo, I have a feeling you *would* laugh. _The memory of the braided boy made him wonder whether his friends were safe - as safe as they could be, at any rate. He looked up at the prince.

Treize Khushrenada stared back for a moment, then sighed. "I cannot kill you."

Wufei raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. After a while, the prince said, "You could have killed Une, but you chose not to. I am at your debt."

The Asian shook his head. "No. My honour would not let me kill her - you owe me nothing. I simply chose not to act against my honour."

The prince's face was bemused once more. "And my honour will not let me kill you for sparing one of my officers. Maybe I should not have had this conversation with you after all."

Wufei felt his composure cracking at the sudden turn of events. "Then what will you do with me?"

Treize's brow was creased in thought, and he absently raised a narrow decanter, pouring some reddish liquid - alcohol, Wufei presumed - into a small glass, before taking a small sip. For a moment, Wufei listened to the shouts and titters from the camp, then he raised his eyes once more and waited for the prince to speak. The response, for the third time that night, was unexpected. "Trial by combat. If I win, you shall die - painlessly; it would be unfair to do otherwise. If you win, you shall be freed."

The Asian stood still - though his face showed none of his shock, his mind was in turmoil. Not only was this man - youth - nothing like he has expected, but his fate, too, had taken a strange turn. _What should I do? I have to combat him, but I can't kill him... yet I don't really want to kill him. Not now. He's no longer a faceless enemy - I wonder why he... _Before he could stop himself, he said, "I accept, Your Majesty. But..."

"But?" Treize raised his eyebrow.

"I was wondering why you ordered the slaughter of everyone in the palace that night, and why you sent your troops out to terrorise innocent cities, when it was against your own moral code."

A tense silence. Then, the prince gave a small chuckle, before saying softly, "I had suspected that you were from the palace." When Wufei didn't speak, he sighed, and turned away. "You must understand, anonymous soldier, that sometimes, whether or not you obey and order affects more lives than your own. The fates of my men - all of them - rests on my shoulders. And sometimes, when certain authorities issue orders, I have no choice but to carry them out. And besides... when have you ever seen a bloodless war? We in Oz are trying to conquer Sanq, as you well know." Treize looked up, his blue eyes narrowing. "But I really do not understand the latter part of your sentence. There is nothing that would have made me kill people in cities, particularly ones that officially belong to Oz, as all Sanq cities now do. Especially not when they are peaceful."

Onyx eyes flickered over Treize's face - the prince didn't seem to be lying. He would have to reassess what happened, if he ever got the chance. _Yet if Oz hadn't been behind the attacks, who was?_ Outwardly, he merely nodded. "When you are ready, Your Majesty."

The prince's eyes flickered for a moment, then realised what the other youth meant. He paused in consideration for a moment, then said, "In an hour, then. You should rest first. Do you need anything?"

"What type of duel will it be, Your Majesty?"

Blue eyes looked at Wufei, its gaze holding a slight challenge. "What do you prefer?"

__

I'm better with my katana - I can beat Master Liao three matches out of four, and he's the best in my clan. But Une has my weapon, and I don't want to ask Treize to get it from her - that would alert her to his plans for the duel, and I have a feeling she will not approve. So there isn't much choice. "Bare."

Treize frowned minutely. It was strange, seeing a member of the clans - for that was what the soldier was, he was sure of it - decide to fight without weapons, when they had always been masters with the sword. Then, understanding flashed in his eyes as he caught the weaponless state of the other youth. "Very well."

The prince motioned for a guard, and Wufei found himself escorted out through the back-flap of the tent. As he walked out, the guard by his side, he heard behind him, "The guard will be with you as custom decrees. I know you are stronger than he is, but I know you will not try to escape. The match will commence in an hour, anonymous soldier."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The silence was broken as a mindvoice called, Quatre? Are you there? 

Quatre started slightly, then waved at the figures emerging from the shadows. Guys, Trowa's back! 

He didn't need to say any more. The youths hurried over, relief evident on most faces - Heero's remained as inscrutable as ever. For a moment, they all looked carefully over each other, then Suri stepped forward and gave the taller youth a hug, with Duo following her lead an instant later. The prince gave him a pat on the shoulder, and Heero nodded once. Just as he was about to say something, Zechs suddenly frowned. Has anyone seen Wufei? 

Quiet reigned as Trowa gave a quick explanation, and for a while after that explanation ended. Finally, the prince sent, Do we go after him? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a clearing on the other side of Sahkron, two youths stood within a marked circle. They gazed intently at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Neither of them paid any attention to the shadow concealed behind the bushes - it, however, was observing the duel closely.

Yet even it was shocked at the speed at which one of the youths suddenly stepped forward, ducked and brought his fist forward in a punch...

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Notes:

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[1] - Did you notice that Hilde, in Ch. 12, said that Anokiv was in charge? Now you know why.

[2] - A hint here, it's a type of magic. I've mentioned it once, I think. It can result in heaps of power, period.

[3] - Well, in Episode Zero, Quatre was a sullen boy at the beginning. The reasons were different (in GW, he was angry because he thought he was a test tube baby, and that he could be reproduced at any time), but by now, everyone knows I love doing things like that. He had to change sometime, and I guess I like having Trowa there to help him. *grin*

[Wufei and Treize] - Now, why on earth didn't Wufei treat Treize like an enemy, or vice versa? Well, Treize torturing or being rude to Wufei would be OOC, as would Wufei being rude to or acting angry at Treize. Of course, Treize would probably be angry at Wufei, but I actually think he would be more intrigued as to why Wufei didn't kill Une when he could. And Wufei would have been too careful and polite to be anything other than civil to Treize, but too proud to be submissive. All in all, there wasn't much left but to pretend everything was normal, and that they weren't a thread from killing each other - which, in actual fact, would be how politics worked anyway.

Three parts on honour... I must be going crazy. But yes, the next part will finish this mini-arc - I'm putting off the duel, you see. Action is bad... O_o. By the way, I know that this chapter wasn't particularly interesting, but my conscience couldn't rest without me clarifying Treize's personality a bit - I just can't see him as a total bad guy.

The next part *will* take a fortnight - it will conclude this mini-arc, duel included, and get something done about Trowa's past. I'm hoping that it will be better than this chapter, which I don't think is particularly good...

Yeppers, 3-day cruise coming up - right after the third part of this mini-arc. Anyone who reviewed this arc will get a free virtual ticket. And the people who reviewed more than once will get deluxe accommodations! ...um, yeah. Nice dream, ne? Who knows, I just *might* become a millionaire one day. Yeah, right.


	15. Debt of Honour, Part III

Disclaimer: Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!

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Warnings: eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic

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Notes: Kay', I'm back!! I'm sooo sorry it took so long... my comp stuffed up, though. There was a virus of some sort and I had to reformat the whole thing. Which meant I had to rewrite this chap. Anyway, thanks to everyone who stuck with me - love u all!

Mariel Yuy: No, I haven't (seen any of GW or EW). Thx for the link - you're right, the info is good. And don't worry about the pics your cousin flushed out... I know what it feels like to lose something you spent effort on. Sux, ne? My hand still hurts like hell... this time, it's from overstress. That's what happens when you have to redo a billion assignments in two days. Hey, and can you send me the first Suri pic again? I had the second one backed up fine, but the first one won't open, for some reason. Thanks!

Blaze: Well, the duel is out, but if you're impatient, think about what happened in the series (I've read the episode summaries, and based the duel on something similar). *wink*

Finny: I'm glad you liked the convo - btw, where's this collab you mentioned?

Mystical Ceres: I love magic too, hope you keep reading!

Stephanie Yuy: A fortnight is two weeks... though now, it's turned into a month and two weeks. Gomen! And I like Wufei too much to make him OOC - same goes for the other guys.

Landlady of the Universe: Hmm... well, I did mention somewhere that there'd be exactly one shounen ai pairing. *wink* And no, the Maguanacs will definitely appear. For a hint, reread the first part of Ch 14 - there should be a hint as to when they'd appear.

Rokjai: Thanks for the review... I hope you keep reading!

Rei: There are so many good fics out there that it isn't really that hard to understand the characters - it's the frequently bashed characters that are harder to make sense of. I'm glad you like it!

Heather: Did you leave two reviews? If you didn't, gomen - tell me and I'll respond properly. For now, I'll just assume the two 'heather's are the same person. And don't worry, I love this fic too much to stop it - as soon as my fingers are up to it, I'll get the next chap out. Thanks for reviewing!

Shadowofdragons: I like both names! And where are you going with Quatre?

Starlight Gundam: My reflexes suck too much to play any type of D&D game. I guess I'll just spend my time writing instead! *grin*

Tori Sakana: I'm glad you like Suri. I started reading ML books after somebody mentioned her in a review in Ch 10, but still haven't seen the word Windrider/s yet. Which book/s is it in? But you're right - the Collegiums etc. are eerily similar to what I've done... *shivers* I did read fics before that, but I don't think the fics had all that much magic in them. Oh well!

Emcron: Truth is, I probably couldn't have stuffed the characters in a non-magical universe other than Earth cos I mainly read fantasy. I love Wufei too!

Heather: No, I'm not stopping - seemed like it though, ne? Gomen. Thanks for reviewing, and please do ask/plead with/bribe your friends to read this! :)

  
  


**Extra Note: **I've changed the formatting, and now the italics actually show up. If you read this before it was updated and had to go to another site to read it, sorry for the inconvenience! 

  
  
  
  
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Part XV: Debt of Honour III

Wufei had always preferred moving first in sword fights, but he had not fought bare often enough to arrive at a preference for the latter. The same rule applied either way, the rule stating that the first move of any fight could be the most crucial, with the last move being the only exception. Both were important, but the first, when used well, could set the direction for the remainder of the battle. 

Onyx eyes surveyed the scene around him, taking in the poised stance of his opponent before staring into the prince's blue eyes - eyes were often the best indicators of an attack. Even so, he barely managed to roll out of the way when Treize suddenly lunged forward and sidestepped into a punch. _He fast_, Wufei thought as he followed through with the roll, rising smoothly and retaliating with a kick of his own. _And he has skill; I can tell by the way he minimised resistance by bending slightly._ The prince dodged, leaping in to attack again with terrifying speed, and the Asian parried, sending a riposte that forced Treize back. 

For a moment, the prince stumbled, but almost immediately, he regained his balance, and Wufei found himself on his back with a hand at his throat. Shocked, the Asian replayed the last moves in his head. Treize had lashed out with his fist, he had blocked it, then aimed an attack at the prince's blind side... forgetting that though the energy behind a blade would not be sensed, his fist carried a different force that could be detected by an experienced opponent. [1] The prince had merely stepped aside before tumbling him with a sweeping kick. 

Wufei lay still for what seemed like an eternity, then raised his head slightly, meeting the prince's eyes. Drawing a deep breath to calm the his sudden fear, the Asian said quietly, "You beat me fairly. Do what you will." With that, he tilted his head back, exposing his neck. 

Treize's arm tensed as though he was about to bring it down, then slowly relaxed. Wufei watched in slight bewilderment as the hand withdrew, returning to its place at the prince's side. The prince stared at him for a long time, his face thoughtful, then shook his head. "I didn't beat you." Catching Wufei's frown, he continued calmly, "You were fast, your balance was superb, and your moves spoke of years of experience. Had you used a blade in the last lunge, I would be dead." 

The Asian shook his head. "But I agreed to a bare fight." 

"Because you didn't want to inconvenience me by having me request your blade. I did win, but not fairly." The prince paused for a moment, then his blue eyes flashed with something similar to anticipation. "I would like an opportunity to fight you when you have your blade. Until then, fare well, anonymous soldier." Tossing a long, well-wrapped object at Wufei's feet, the prince moved away, disappearing into the bushes before the youth had the chance to reply. 

Wufei blinked, then closed his mouth; somehow, it had fallen open while the prince spoke. Rising, he picked up the object, raising an eyebrow when its weight settled in his hand. Is that? Unwrapping the object, a small glint of relief flashed across his onyx eyes at the sight of his katana. He unsheathed it, smiling slightly at its unharmed state. Then, he stared into the bushes, saying softly, "Yes, Treize Khushrenada - we will meet again. But until then, I am in your life-debt."

Suddenly, a humourless chuckle sounded from behind him. Wufei spun around, eyes widening at the sight of the lady to whom he had surrendered. Quickly gathering his nerves, the Asian bowed slightly. "Colonel Une, I believe. I am honoured to meet you."

"I'm sure you are." In two quick strides, the brown-haired woman crossed the distance between them. When she spoke again, her eyes held a dangerous glint. "But let me tell you this - I'm only letting you go because his Majesty wishes it. Cross my path again, however..." Her glare spoke the rest.

__

How on earth did she get so close without me noticing? _... Ah, she's a Mage - I wish Heero was here; he'd be able to tell how strong she is. She seems to be on good terms with Treize... a bit young for a colonel, but still. _Wufei kept a careful hold on his anger, answering calmly, "I will bear that in mind." 

Une nodded curtly and walked away. Then, almost as an afterthought, she glanced mockingly at Wufei, adding, "Is it not ironic that the citizens of Sanq have to rely on their enemy's mercy for survival?" With that last comment, Une muttered a word and disappeared.

Wufei stood in silence for a long moment, the wind rustling the tendrils of hair that had become loose during the fight. His body was still, his face expressionless, but the onyx eyes were dark with inner turmoil. _She's right... if I can't beat him, how will I ever kill him? And even if I was strong enough, I wouldn't be able to... I'm in his debt... _He looked down at the scar on his palm before clenching it into a fist. _I'm sorry, Meiran... I failed my duty. I am an unworthy member of the clans._

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"Treize!"

The prince turned, smiling slightly as the woman approached him. "Une." Then, a suspicion rose in his mind and he stared into his companion's eyes. "You were watching?"

She nodded. "Of course. You must have known I would - after all, you _did_ ask for his sword."

"Katana," Treize corrected automatically. Blue eyes glanced at her. "And did you speak to him afterwards?"

"Yes, but that was all I did." She looked straight at him. "I trust you, Treize, even when I might not agree with all that you do." Her lips quirked. "You're too honourable, for one thing."

The prince remained quiet for what seemed like an eternity, then sighed. "There are those who would disagree with you - myself included." Facing her, he smiled again. "But your support means a lot to me."

"Then you will always have it." Une took his arm and they walked slowly back to the camp, the expression on her face nothing like it had been a mere half-candlemark ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do we go after him? 

Another silence. Then, Quatre sent, Can we do so without compromising his honour? 

Yes - we don't have to do anything. We have to know what's happening. 

Zechs glanced at each of them. Then let us go. 

The group broke off at a run, with Trowa in the lead. Once they were in the city, the prince sent, Trowa, what happened, exactly? How much do you remember? 

There was a pause, then Trowa answered, Of the past, not much, and not in detail. Enough to know whose side I'm on. He gave a brief description of his time with the circus, then added, This place is what we're looking for. They all halted, listening intently - some distance away, they could hear the laughter and shouts of soldiers, but aside from that, all was still. Trowa bent slightly, inspecting the bushes, then pointed at a cluster of displaced leaves. Stepping lightly across the forray, he stopped once more beside a marked circle on the grass, asking, Heero, do you sense magic around? 

The Mage frowned slightly, gestured towards the leaves. A cloaking spell was used there, but that is all I can sense. 

Then I think Wufei has left. 

Why? 

The scratches on the ground are from various attacks, which means his opponent was not a female and he did actually fight, but there is no blood, so he must be alive. However, I doubt he has been taken prisoner - unless he was forced or unconscious, he would never go willingly. 

Zechs nodded. And it is next to impossible to knock him out without magic. Okay, so he's alive - where could he have gone? And why has Oz not followed? 

Suddenly, Heero raised his hand for silence. "Who's there?"

A shadow emerged from the bushes, and the voice that spoke was calm and neutral. "Be assured that I do not intend harm in any way. I assume you are searching for an Asian youth of about fifteen?"

Zechs stepped forward, his expression carefully polite. "And if we are?"

"Then you may like to know that he left almost a candlemark ago, in a north-eastern direction."

The Sanq prince studied the figure before him. "May I ask how you came by this information?"

Blue eyes returned the gaze, then the person answered, "I trust my own eyes." He gave a slight nod, then turned, stepping back into the bushes. [2]

"Wait!" Heero's eyes were narrowed with suspicion. "You still haven't answered my question."

The figure paused. After a moment of silence, he replied quietly, "You may have heard of me as Prince Khushrenada of Oz."

Shock flitted through each of their faces, remaining on some longer than others. Though Trowa and Zechs remained outwardly composed, Heero's frown was edged with anger. In a swift movement, the Mage leapt towards the bushes the prince disappeared into, but his head snapped back when a hand gripped his, restraining him. The normally monotonous voice was deadly as he said, "Trowa, _let go_."

Calm emerald eyes met his. "Wufei didn't fight him to the death. Don't you think you should trust his judgement?"

Heero scowled, glanced at the bushes, then directed his glare at the taller youth who delayed him. "How do you know he even saw Treize?"

"He was in this area, which I presume is an Oz camp. The soldiers would not have been bandits - therefore, it would be fair to say that Wufei was captured by Oz. I doubt they would have hidden that fact from him. It would not have taken Wufei much to deduct that Treize was who he was, but he still left without killing him, or giving his life up in the process."

"And you trust what Treize says?"

Zechs raised an eyebrow. "Did you not run a truth spell on him?"

Heero hesitated, then nodded curtly. His voice was controlled and determined once more when he spoke, "I cannot let him go." The boy turned away. "He's done too much to Sanq... and to me."

They were all silent - the charred buildings and bodies were still etched all too clearly in their memories. Then, Quatre said softly, "We all remember, Heero. That's why we can't kill anybody more than we need to."

Something sparked in the cobalt eyes as Heero turned to the blonde. "The innocent villagers - don't you remember the fear in their eyes? Or are you so weak you'd spare the one who killed our parents?"

Quatre looked as though he'd been slapped. One glance at the downturned aquamarine orbs was all it took for Suri to shake herself free of the painful memories. "We've all been hurt, Heero. Attacking one another won't do anything!"

Heero turned on the girl, scowling. "This has nothing to do with you - or have you forgotten that it was our families and home that were destroyed on Zolt'e one month ago? Don't speak about things you know nothing about... you'll never understand. You're not one of us."

Suri's expression froze, then something similar to shock flashed in the silver eyes. Almost to herself, she whispered, "I just realised what day it was..." She fingered something tucked in her pocket, then glanced briefly at Zechs. "You don't need me for the moment... could I be excused?" Before anyone could stop her, she disappeared into the shadows in the direction of their camp.

For a long moment, nobody spoke. Then, Trowa quietly asked, "Was that really necessary, Heero?"

"Damn well it wasn't!" The braided boy beside him exploded, fury evident in the normally cheerful tone. "Suri understands what happened as well as we do, and she's been with us every step of the way so far. But you, cousin - I wonder if you'll ever realise how much you hurt people who care about you?"

Silence reigned once more. Finally, Zechs looked at Quatre. "Can you sense anything?"

The blonde shook his head mutely. "She strengthened the shields on herself almost as soon as Heero started speaking." 

Sighing, the prince glanced upwards, then spoke, "Well, at least it's almost morning - the sun's peaking from the east. I'm going to look for her." He stared hard at Heero. "But I wonder if, in your efforts to reach perfection, you have lost sight of your humanity?"

Heero didn't answer, but Zechs did not expect one - he and Duo were already on two separate trails leading south. Quatre glanced at the Mage, opened his mouth, then closed it again, motioning for Trowa to follow as he went after Duo. Neither of them glanced backwards, but if they had, they may have noticed the flicker of internal struggle in the cobalt eyes. The Mage stood silently for several minutes, the anger visibly seeping out of him, then headed southwards after the prince.

An hour later, Heero heard a muffled noise closeby, and paused to tighten his shields. Crouching down, he parted the bushes and surveyed the scene, before stepping back quickly - the prince, standing a bare ten paces away from him, was silently watching a figure perched on a jagged rock another short distance away. Just as Heero was about to stand, a soft melody stopped him.

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Wish that I could cry  
Fall upon my knees  
Find a way to lie  
About the home I'll never see...

It may sound absurd, but don't be naive  
Even heroes have the right to bleed  
I may be disturbed, but won't you concede  
Even heroes have the right to dream...

It's not easy to be me.

Suri's voice was accompanied by the sound of a flute, and with a start, Heero noticed the minute workings of wind Elementalism, and half-smiled in spite of the melancholy of the song - not everybody would have thought of using a gift to play music. Then, the girl looked up, glancing in his direction, saying quietly, "I know you're there, you know."

Shock flitted across his face. _How does she know? I'm too far for her to see me physically, and my shields are as strong as they could be._ Just as he was about to admit to his presence, however, Zechs stood and walked towards her, asking, "Are you okay?"

Heero was too far away to see Suri's expression, but her reply was quite composed. "Yes - don't worry, I wasn't running away in a tantrum." A hint of a smile could be heard in her voice.

The prince sat down beside her. "Then why did you go?"

Heero could see Suri turn away as she replied, "Heero's mention of Zolt'e reminded me of someone."

Zech's voice was gentle. "Will you tell me who?"

The girl looked down. "A close friend... she died five years ago today. That song was hers."

If the prince was shocked, it didn't show on his features. Instead, after a silence, Zechs said softly, "The song was beautiful - she must have been a special person."

"Yes, she was." Suri took a deep breath, then continued, "You know I had lived with my granny since I was five. At the beginning, I was basically ignored because all the other kids had formed their own friendship groups already. Then I met Lianne. I don't remember exactly how. She was just there. We were almost like sisters for the earlier parts of our lives, though she was four years older than me, but things started changing when someone appeared."

For a moment, a look of anger seemed to flash on her face, but it was gone before Heero could be certain. Zechs didn't seem to notice; instead, he prompted, "Who?"

She turned to face him. "I still don't know. See, she really liked fantasizing about princes and fairy-tales and happily-ever-after endings, so when she told me a noble had started courting her secretly, I thought she would be happy. She certainly seemed to be, and he appeared to treat her well... there were presents or flowers hidden in her yard every day. I always knew where they were because I could always hear her singing with him accompanying her. But one day, about a month after they met, she just disappeared - it was strange because she used to tell me everything. I looked all over the village for her, but nobody knew where she was."

Suri swallowed visibly, then turned away once more. "A week later, I found her lying at granny's doorstep. Her clothes were torn and dirty, and so was her hair - and there was blood on her body. Granny wasn't home, so I tried to clean her up - she begged me not to tell anyone, and I didn't have a heart to. It took a full month before she told me something of what happened."

Heero saw Zechs take Suri's hand, silently encouraging her to continue. After a pause, she did, pained silver eyes belaying her controlled tone.

"She was raped, Zechs. The noble she fell in love with took her away and raped her, then abandoned her half a day away from our village. It took her three whole days to find her way back."

Almost against his will, Heero had inched closer. _Is this what I sensed she was hiding when she told us about her past? How did she manage to keep it inside for so long? _

In a half-whisper, Suri continued, "It broke her heart... she wasted away before my eyes. Her parents had no idea; we told them that she had been helping out on a trader's caravan, then fell asleep and found herself at another village when she woke up. But she didn't laugh or sing anymore. Two months later, I found her in the garden where the noble used to sing with her. She was dead."

Her voice grew shaky, and Zechs pulled an arm over her shoulder, saying gently, "It's okay, Suri - you don't have to keep going. I understand." The girl's face was hidden below the curtain of black hair, but after a moment, she shook her head.

"In her hand lay a flute - one that he had given her - and a note. The words on it were the lyrics I just sang, and they fitted perfectly with one of the melodies he had taught her. I knew straight away who she had composed it for." Her last words were barely audible. "It was for him - I never even knew who he was. And even if I had... well, it couldn't have saved her." She looked at Zechs, her voice becoming a plea. "She was only fourteen - younger than I am now. How could anyone do that?"

The prince held the trembling girl, who buried her face in his shoulder. After a long silence broken only by low, muffled sobs, he said softly, "I don't know, Suri. People are cruel sometimes, aren't they?" His voice sounded far away, as though engrossed in memories of his own.

That brought Suri back to the present. She brushed the tears away carelessly, looking back at Zechs. Heero caught a smile on her face - a shaky one, but a smile all the same. "Thanks, Zechs. For caring."

The prince, too, snapped out of his reverie, and gave her a quick hug. "Anytime - that's what friends are for, right?" He hesitated slightly. "And Suri... I know Heero doesn't mean what he said. We need you as part of our team."

The girl looked down briefly, then met his gaze. "I'm with you as long as you need me... you guys are my only family. But I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what I told you."

Zechs' blue eyes were concerned. "Are you sure? They'd understand."

"I know. But you guys have been through even more, and I don't see you complaining."

The prince tilted his head slightly. "I have a feeling that even if you went through exactly the same things as we did, you'd still try to remain strong. But I'll leave it, for now." He stood, facing her earnestly. "But tell me if you're upset, okay?"

She gave him another brief smile and nodded. "Do you need me for the moment? I want some time alone... to sort everything out."

"Sure, go ahead. None of us have had any sleep anyway. We'll meet back at camp, right?"

Suri nodded once more, and the prince patted her on the soldier, then left. As soon as he was gone, Heero saw the smile fade from the girl's face as she withdrew once again into her own thoughts, fingering the flute every once in a while. _Should I go out? I don't want to seem like I eavesdropped... and I wouldn't blame her for being angry at me for what I said. But I should apologise... she *is* a member of our team, and even though I may not agree with all she says, she deserves respect. And I may have to consider other peoples' feelings, even if I don't think emotions are necessary... especially when people hide so much more than they let on..._

  
  
  
  


****

Notes:

__

[1] - I don't mean "sensed" in a magical way; I'm thinking more about sensing the force of the attack just as you sometimes sense a person standing behind you or watching you.

[2] - Yes, I know he was with Une - I doubt they would do anything once they returned to the camp, though. There is a certain thing called protocol, ne? :)

[3] - Lyrics were from 'Superman - It's Not Easy' by Five For Fighting

Three parts on honour... I can't believe how long that took! Wufei got a role, though, and Treize actually appeared properly. About time, I say.

I really don't trust myself to stick to schedules any more - things just seem to happen against me. Let's just say the next part will be out as soon as I can manage it - prob is, all my notes are gone along with my story, so I have some replanning to do. Still, it'll be out ASAP, and certain characters will definitely appear. Anyone guessed who the mercenaries are yet?

I've extended the virtual cruise onto a five-dayer... after all, everyone deserves a reward for sticking with me so far. Anyone who's reviewed this mini-arc, here's a ticket! *waves colourful tickets* There's buffet on board... it's Italian cuisine first night up. Yummeeee!


	16. Identity

Disclaimer: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for reading and reviewing!_

_Finny__: Hi, thanks for reviewing - did you get my email? I was asking how the collab was coming along, but my email's half stuffed. If you didn't, drop a review and I'll try again. And ooh, you have a fiance? I don't even have a bf yet... *sniff*_

_Stephanie Yuy__: Sorry about making you wait... here's the next chapter, though. Hope you enjoy!_

_Chibisora__: Yummie yum! *stuffs self with popsicles* Thanks, and thanks for reading and reviewing as well!_

_Shin'sTwin__: Not soon, but yup! I'll keep on till I get to the end... I've actually got the last chap planned out, just not the middle ones!_

_Mariel Yuy_: _Hi, I'm really sorry for taking so long. About the site.. well, considering how long it took to get this chapter out, I'm not sure how long it'll take. I'm really trying, but the doc says I'm not supposed to type, so... anyway, hope you enjoy this chap! And I'll email you with an email addie. :P_

_Landlady of the Universe__: Well, I took a long time to write it, so guess we're even. But, just cos I'm evil, I'll tell you that two romances will start before I get around to Suri's, and neither involves Zechs or Heero. So you'll have to wait, ne? Hehe..._

  
  
  
  


**Part XVI: Identity**

  
Heero stood, undecided, but fate seemed to have a mind of its own; a particularly strong gust of wind sent the acidic scent of twinei leaves into his nostrils, making him sneeze. Suri's head snapped up, eyes widening as she realised he was there. Heero cursed inwardly, then stood and muttered, "Gomen. I didn't mean to overhear."

The girl stared at him for a long moment, her face unreadable. Then, at long last, she sighed and turned away. "It's okay... I guess this isn't much of a private place, after all." A pause. "Your shields are really good."

The last was unexpected, and made Heero start slightly. "Thank you." He was surprised she didn't seem angry at his intrusion - the conversation had been quite personal, after all. _She must be better at hiding her feelings than I thought. _Awkwardly, he repeated, "I'm sorry."

Suri faced him once more, and shook her head. "It doesn't matter... forget it." She hesitated, then asked, "Did you hear much?"

Heero felt a small twinge of guilt; the fact that she asked made it clear that it did matter. "From when you started singing."

The girl closed her eyes briefly. "Then I guess I have to ask you not to tell anyone either."

He nodded. _That's the least I can do_. _It was private..._ His mind ran over the conversation, and something occurred to him. "Suri..."

"Hmm?"

"Did you hate the nobility after your friend was... injured?"

The flash of recognition in her eyes showed that she understood what he was driving at. "You mean, how could I trust nobles like you guys after what happened?" He nodded.

She frowned thoughtfully for a while, then answered, "I guess if you learn anything from living on the streets, it's that you can't categorise people by what they are. Take thieves, for example - there are the cowards who only pick on the young or injured, and there are the ruthless ones who'd kill their own mothers for less than ten credits. But there are also the ones who only ever steal from the rich, and who have been known to actually rescue poorer people from other thieves and pickpockets. I guess you get used to at least trying to get to know a person before judging them."

"But when it's almost instinctive?"

"Yeah, it's hard... that's why I was angry at Zechs for not telling me he was a prince when we first met. For a moment, it seemed like all nobles could do was maipulate people."

"You managed to keep control."

Suri shrugged lightly. "Anger is an emotion, after all. You learn to suppress it."

He was silent for a moment. "Emotions are sometimes better when suppressed."

Another thoughtful frown. "Sometimes. But I think that keeping too many emotions inside isn't healthy - if you crack, there's no telling what you'll do. And if I don't let myself enjoy what's good about the world, I'll probably drop dead with despair... there's enough misery out there without me adding to it. Besides, emotions are what keep us human. Sure, there's a lot of anger and hatred in the world, but a smile or a kind word can do more good than you think."

Beneath the unchanging, almost cool expression, Heero's mind swirled - the words had struck home. He knew he was not normally inclined to irretrospective thoughts, but the fresh morning air must have affected him; for the first time, he found himself questioning his single-minded devotion to revenge. _When I first lost my gift, I shut my emotions out, afraid of what I might feel. But the pain has receded over the years... could I... would it be easier if I just let it go? _

The cobalt eyes widened - the option had never occurred to him before. Then, his composed, analytical mind took over again. _But even if I decide to, I wouldn't know how... I don't remember what it's like to have emotions..._

Now that he thought about it, it was true - he had grown so accustomed to his mask that in many ways, the indifference was no longer an act. _I wonder if anyone else remembers what I was like before..._ _how does she even know I once had emotions? She didn't know me back then..._

Beside him, Suri hid her startlement; her gift of Empathy had sensed the slightest flicker of confusion and turmoil from the Mage. _Is it just me, or did something actually slip through his shields? _Gently, almost afraid to interrupt the youth's thoughts, she said, "Heero?"

He shook himself abruptly. "Wh... pardon?"

Had the situation not been so serious, she would have laughed at the bewildered look that flashed across the normally composed face. Instead, she said, "I'm going to go back - if two people can find their way here, there's no telling whether Oz will be able to."

_But I merely followed Zech's path..._ Heero suddenly remembered why he had followed the prince in the first place. "Suri..." She glanced at him. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier." He hesitated. "I didn't mean it."

She studied him for a moment, then smiled briefly with some of her usual vigour. "Don't worry about it."

The Mage nodded and they walked back to the camp quietly, but unlike the stony silences earlier, the atmosphere could almost be considered companiable. Duo and Zechs were sitting on a fallen log, the former munching away on some rations and the latter looking at him with a bemused expression. As the pair approached, both of them glanced up, the braided boy's expression changing from one of welcome to one of suspicion as his gaze fell on his cousin who, true to his nature, ignored it. The prince remained calm but Suri detected mild surprise, and sent privately, I'm okay. Don't worry. There was an almost imperceptible nod, and she said nonchalently, "Hi, guys."

"Hey, Suri." Duo's wide grin remained even though his tone was one of concern. "You okay?"

"Sure," she responded, then explained, "I met Heero on the way back. We've... sorted things out." Catching Duo's disbelief, she grinned back at him. "Seriously."

The braided boy narrowed a glare at his cousin, who nodded curtly in confirmation, then relaxed. "I'm glad." He gestured to the rations. "Want some? We haven't exactly had much of an opportunity to eat."

Suri raised her eyebrow, glancing pointedly at the loaf in his hand, and Duo grinned again. "That's why I'm eating now."

Zechs' lips quirked as he elaborated, "He's done nothing but eat the moment I found him and told him you weren't missing."

The girl's expression softened into one of appreciation at the mild flush on the braided boy's face. _Zechs is right... they really do care._ She reached over and gave Duo's hand a light squeeze, then asked, "Where are Trowa and Quatre?"

The braided boy gestured towards the tents. "They're either sleeping or catching up; we're on watch since I'm hungry and Zechs signed himself up before anybody could say anything."

The prince shrugged. "I have a feeling they need to talk. What better time than now?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a long silence, Quatre found himself growing tense. _Is he angry? He's just sitting there, staring at his hands... I know he isn't normally talkative, but still... _Finally, he broke the silence with a tentative question. "Trowa, are you... angry at me? For hurting you?"

The emerald eyes looked up. "Why would you think so?"

"Well, you're not talking to me... and I lost control. I made you lose your memory, and injured you..."

Trowa slipped something into his pocket, then turned his full attention to the blonde. His voice was strangely gentle as he said, "You know I won't blame you for something you didn't intend to do."

"But I still did it!" The blonde exclaimed passionately, the aquamarine orbs pained. "And at the end, I caused more harm than I did good..."

"Didn't you save the children?"

"Yes, but there were so many other ways I could have done it..."

"Were there?" Trowa kept his tone reasonable.

That stumped the blonde. His thoughts ran back over the incident, remembering the sickness and explosive anger he felt at the sight of the children being used as hostages, and his desperation at being able to do nothing. "I guess... maybe there weren't many other ways," he conceded, "but I could have kept control. The guards were the only ones I needed to attack."

"And did you know you *could* attack in the first place?"

Quatre shook his head. "I lost control."

"If you hadn't lost control, the children may have been killed or even worse, tortured, correct?" The blonde nodded slowly. "Then I think my injuries are well worth it."

The Healer was quiet as he processed the words. They were so similar to what the others had been trying to tell him, but from Trowa, they sounded more certain... even possible. A flicker of hope appeared on his face, and Trowa nodded in silent confirmation, repeating simply, "It's not your fault."

Slowly, Quatre felt himself accepting the older boy's words and relaxed, allowing a shaky smile to cross his face. "Thanks, Trowa." Suddenly curious, he asked, "What were you looking at?" When the other boy hesitated, he said hastily, "It's okay if it's private."

After a moment, Trowa reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver object, handing it to the blonde and explaining, "Catherine gave it to me. She says it's a family heirloom... Quatre?"

The blonde's face had turned pale with shock. He reached up abruptly and yanked at a chain fastened around his neck, removing a small locket. His eyes darted between the two objects, widened further, then looked up and stared at the older boy. Slowly, he held his own locket up. "Trowa, do you remember this?"

The silver locket was shaped like a jaana leaf.

Trowa blinked and inspected the object closely, eyes widening when he noticed the small bloom of jaaniva engraved on it. As he reached out and touched it, a memory arose - a memory of himself at Quatre's fourteenth birthday celebration... a memory of handing his only proof of identity to the blonde as a sign of trust... _Oh Goddess. Does this mean..._

_*** flash ***_

_Trowa knocked lightly on the Duke's door. A muffled 'come in' sounded, and the youth entered, shutting the heavy door firmly behind him. He had often wondered exactly what the door was made of - it weighed too much to have been made entirely of the wood covering its surface. The king's chamber was made of a similar material, however, so his guess of magic-repellent material was probably correct._

_He walked towards the greying man bent over the table, bowing politely. "Father."_

_Duke Barton looked up at Trowa with a brief smile. "Trowa. Is anything the matter?"_

_The eight-year-old shook his head. "Nothing that cannot be left until later if you're busy."_

_The Duke lay down his quill. "If it were nothing, you would not have sought me in my private chambers instead of the dinner table."_

_Trowa pondered the statement, then nodded. "I was wondering about my past. I know I was adopted, but..." How could he phrase it eloquently? To state that he wished to know why *he* was chosen seemed rude and ungrateful, if nothing else._

_His adoptive father was a shrewd man. He had no trouble understanding the cadences behind the question, nor was he surprised - it was only natural to wish to know about one's past. He walked over to a high-backed armchair, gesturing to the seat beside him. "Sit, boy. I'll tell it like a story; it's easier that way." After pausing to collect his thoughts, he asked, "You have studied the Oz raids eight years ago?"_

_Trowa nodded. "There wasn't much to study, though."_

_"No, there wasn't - they were small raids. Well-planned and rather vicious, but quickly controlled. I was the leader of patrol A, so I was directly involved in the skirmishes with their main force. Their leaders were killed and the rest taken as prisoners, as you know, and their captives were checked by the Healers, then released. I found you there - one of the women had been looking after you, and we estimated that you were not yet one year old, but nobody knew who you were. Investigations revealed nothing. Because I did not intend to marry, I decided to adopt you." He stood again, walked to his table and rumaged around for a minute, then handed him a silver locket. "This is the only thing you had, aside from some towels that the woman wrapped you in."_

_The boy glanced up in question, and the Duke smiled gently. "Yes, it's yours; take it and look after it well." He patted the boy on the shoulder. "And Trowa, I want you to know that no matter what other people may say, I still consider you my son."_

_Slowly, Trowa nodded and took the locket, staring at it silently. After a long moment, he answered, "Thank you... father."_

_*** flash ***_

"Trowa?"

At the concerned question, he wrenched himself out of his memories. His voice was almost awed as he answered, "Quatre, I think Catherine is my sister." 

The blonde asked, "The lockets?"

Trowa nodded. "They were family heirlooms." For a while, he sat still, lost in his thoughts. "I want to find her, but that can wait. We should see if Zechs and Duo need to rest." He stood, pocketed one locket and handed Quatre the other, countering the blonde's protest with a simple, "I trust you." Then, he stepped outside the tent. Quatre was a step behind him, his face confused - though the words were gently spoken, Trowa's face was closed. It was clear that the taller youth was hiding something, but he wasn't sure what, and he wasn't sure if it was his business. _I know it isn't every day that you find your identity, but still... I wish he would trust me as much as he says he does..._

Outside, Zechs and Heero were removing the traces of their presence while Duo and Suri packed away the second tent. Seeing them, the prince called, "After we get this sorted out, we're going to figure out where we're going. Can you get your tent packed?"

Trowa nodded in assent. They dissembled the poles and materials with a quick efficiency that grew from their frequent operations as a pair, then helped Zechs with the ashes left from the fire. After a moment, Duo and Suri joined them. Quatre directed a smile and an unspoken surge of concern to the latter, who grinned and sent a wave of reassurance in return. He relaxed and turned to Zechs.

The prince took a deep breath, then began, "We know that Treize Khushrenada is heading north towards the Fort Ranges. If he can be trusted, we can assume that Wufei went the same way; logic says that the information is correct, because there are only two ways to leave Sahkron, and we're camped south."

Suri frowned. "I thought Treize said Wufei headed northeast."

"Yes, but we walked northwest looking for him. Wufei could go east, but he wouldn't be able to move past the cliffs of Mt Sera."

The girl looked up, studied the sheer outcrops briefly, then swallowed. "I don't see why anyone would want to."

Zechs grinned, but continued, "So there are no other suggestions?"

They shook their heads. Quatre glanced at Trowa, wondering whether he would reveal what he had discovered, only to find an emerald eye staring back at him. He sent a surge of encouragement to the older youth. After a moment, Trowa cleared his throat, and the prince nodded for him to speak. "I've discovered that Catherine is my sister."

The statement was shocking enough, but Trowa's bluntness made it even harder for the words to sink in. Finally, Duo managed, "Huh?!"

Zechs' eyebrows drew together, and it took all of his early training to remain coherent as he rephrased Duo's question. "Catherine - your sister?"

The braided boy cut in and added, "Why in the name of the Goddess would you figure that?" Catching Quatre's mild glare, he shut his mouth against further questions, but the violet eyes remained expectant.

Trowa looked awkward. "As you know, I was an orphan, adopted at a time relatively close to my birth. I think my... family was travelling in Sanq when Oz raiders struck. My parents were killed, my sister remained hidden and I was captured. The raiders were then caught by Sanq patrols, and because nobody knew who I was, Duke Barton adopted me."

There was silence as they processed this, and Quatre tried to seem supportive without being too obvious. Finally, Heero asked, "What led to that conclusion?"

"My story corresponds with Catherine's, and facts support them." He hesitated, then took out the locket Catherine gave him, nodding slightly as Quatre handed him the matching one. "And these heirlooms were not identical by chance."

After a moment, Duo held his hand out. "May I?" For several minutes, he studied the two carefully, his eyebrows drawn together in a half-frown. Finally, he looked up. "You're right. They're made of the same materials, have exactly the same design - one that is rare, if not unique - and have exactly the same craftsmenship. And if you the back of them, you'll notice that although it is heavily worn, there was once writing there. On this one, you can almost make out a 'b'." Noticing their surprise, he grinned and added, "I don't normally study heirlooms, but jewellery is something of a hobby. So Tro, I think you've found a long lost sister. I'm happy for you."

Trowa masked his own uncertainty and offered the boy a slight smile of thanks as he retrieved the lockets. Zechs touched his shoulder lightly. "Me too. Catherine is headed in the same direction as we, so when we meet again, you can tell her as well." Trowa nodded. Out of the corner of one emerald eye, he caught a brief flicker of something on Suri's face, but it disappeared as she, too, expressed her happiness for him. _Of course. She's a naneless orphan too... it's a shame the gypsies did not know more about her past. It's depressing, at times - I should know... _As they stood to leave, however, Suri was joking with Duo once more, any sign of pain carefully hidden away.

~~~~~~~_~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** One week later *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_~~~

He stood at the threshold warily. A part of him was demanding that he bury his pride and ask for a meal, but another argued that he would be a burden to nobody. The decision was wrestled from him when the wooden door creaked open, revealing a long-haired nun. She took one glance at the dust covering his clothes and said, "Well, young man, I don't know what brings you here, but you look like you need a good meal. I'm Sister Helen _[1]_, and this is Maxwell Cloister, run by Father Maxwell. Come on in."

As Wufei was hustled into the dining room, he felt his attention drawn to a blonde-haired figure whose back was facing him. When he sat down opposite her, taking a sip from the bowl of soup, she turned around. He almost choked, and the girl gasped, her blue eyes widened in recognition. The Asian resisted the urge to pinch himself, instead asking hesitatingly, "R-relena?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wait.

They all stopped and glanced at Trowa, who was studying his surroundings carefully. Finally, he sent, We're not alone.

Heero frowned in concentration, and after a few moments, he nodded. I sense a magical shield - it's a strong one. And it covers quite a few people.

At that moment, there was a holler, and they found themselves surrounded on all sides by nearly forty men. Instinctively grouping together, they readied their energies as Zechs called, "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Who we are does not matter; what we want is obvious." The leader of the men stepped forward. "Windriders, will you come willingly or do we have to use force?"

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - Yep, I know Helen should be dead - that is sooo not the point! This is an AU, after all._

_I will apologise again for the time it took to get this out... problems prop up everywhere, both in the story and in RL. I know I will keep going, but it might take quite some time... it really depends on what the doctors say. Please stick with me, and review, review, review!_


	17. Loyalties

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks to all those who reviewed, and especially to those ultra-nice people who told me to get well soon. Believe me, I'm trying - stupid hands won't listen, that's all!_

_Landlady of the Universe__: Hi! Yup, Maguanacs are here, and Father Maxwell and co will be more than inserts. I mean, someone's life was affected deeply by them... I'm not about to change that, right?_

_AyanamiChan__: Thanks, and I will! Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

_Shin'sTwin__: I'm glad you think so. Please keep reading and reviewing!_

_Stephanie Yuy__: I'm glad Heero talked to Suri too... he doesn't talk enough. Thanks for reviewing, and hope you enjoy!_

_shadowofdragons__: Hehe... here's the next chapter. Does that count?_

_Heather__: Thanks! And I do write in my head... problem is, getting it down anywhere is the problem. Oh well, here's a chappie!_

_Emcron__: Hi Emcron! Thanks for reviewing, and in answer to your question... here goes!_

  
  
  
  


**Part XVII: Loyalties**

  
"Elder!"

The aging man turned, raising a hand to calm the person before him. "Calm down. What is it?"

"She has run off, and took a group of men have followed her. Should we send some fighters after them?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Run off, you say?"

"Yes, to the northeast, if the trials are correct. I suspect she may be following the Windriders."

There was a thoughtful pause, then a slight smile. "Pretend nothing has happened."

"Huh... I mean, I beg your pardon, Elder?"

The man gave him a shrewd look. "I mean what I said. Do you and the others think I have not noticed our situation? How there have been more and more so-called accidents and disappearances lately? I'm not going to give Oz an excuse to attack, not until they have declared themselves against us. But I cannot stop anything I do not know about, can I?" With that, Luiordo of the gypsies turned and strode back into his tent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wufei, what are you doing here? And are the others with you? Heero?" The blonde half rose, her expression hopeful. _[1]_

The boy resisted the urge to gape. _How could she be so cheerful, unless..._ "No and no. Relena..." He took a deep breath. "Don't you know what happened?"

"What?" Disappointed, the girl had sat down, the tone of her question disinterested.

Wufei swallowed deeply. _Can I break this easily? She's an onna... she might break on me..._

Seeing his hesitation, Relena looked up again. "Wufei, what is it?"

"Relena..." A deep breath. "Your parents are dead."

The blue eyes widened, and a pale hand rose to her lips in a smooth movement born from years of practice. Opening and closing her mouth a few times, she finally managed, "Huh?"

_I might as well finish telling her; she deserves that much, and I should respect her parents' memories... _"The palace was invaded on Zolt'é. All the people at the celebration were killed in the fire. I myself am supposed to be dead. I thought you were."

Relena sat in silence, her mouth opened in an expression of shock that warred with the disbelief in her eyes. After an eternity, she whispered, "Excuse me." Before he could react, she had run out the door. Wufei considered going after her, but decided against it - she had to deal with it herself. With a deep sigh, he turned back to his soup, but for some reason, it seemed to have lost its taste.

¡@

Outside, at the edge of the steep mountain path, a blonde head was tilted upwards, the rays of the setting sun glinting off the wetness on her cheeks. "Heeeeerooo! I'm right over here, so why don't you come and kill me?" _[2]_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They don't know who we really are. Heero's mindvoice was tight but controlled.

Do you have any idea who they are? 

The prince stole a glance at Suri, and realised that the girl had no idea of the danger they were in. _Gods, this is getting worse... _ They're mercenaries called the Maguanacs. There are forty of them. Rumours say they cost a fortune to hire, but everything we know confirms they're worth it. They're everything you could ask for - ruthless, experienced and utterly determined. 

And they've never, ever failed. Even Duo's voice was grave.

Suri bit her lip but said nothing, digesting the information in silence. Meanwhile, Zechs answered grimly, "If you want us, you'll have to kill us first." 

All of them agreed silently, but after a second, Quatre sent softly, Zechs, you know that we don't stand a chance, right? 

Zechs' blue eyes were calm. If that's the case, we'll go out together. But no battle is lost before it is fought. 

Right. 

Suri felt a sudden burst of comradeship lift her spirits. _We'll survive, somehow. After all, we've made it this far... _But she didn't have any more time to ponder - it was as though Zech's word had been an invisible signal. In a swift, practiced movement, the Maguanacs pressed in on them, attacking their shields with both magic and weaponry. Seeing Heero fire a 'bolt' of magical energy, she sent her gift lashing out, but it bounced off the men, leaving them unharmed. For a moment, she froze in shock - _how could anybody have energy for such a large shield?_

Beside her, Zechs was wielding his sword with unfeigned expertise, but the magic obscured his vision and made him stumble. His mindvoice was edged with worry as he sent, Heero, can you teleport us? 

The Mage sent a negative but didn't bother replying; he, too, was beseiged on all sides. His message was clear - there was nowhere near enough time. And although his gift allowed him to see through the energy, the sheer numbers were wearing him down. Suri frowned suddenly_. How am I remaining alive? I'm nowhere near as good with weapons as they are. _Then, in a flash of realisation, she understood. Quickly guaging her supply of energy, she yelled, Quat, they're not shielded against Empathy! Even as she spoke, she was reaching out to the blonde.

The aquamarine eyes widened as Quatre realised what she wanted, and without hesitation, he merged his gift with hers. Swiftly, they projected a surge of fear at those closest to them, and Suri nodded in satisfaction as the seasoned men hesitated. Just then, there was a whizzing sound and a volley of arrows buried themselves in the shoulders of the men on the outer ring of fighters, some of whom froze in shock for a milisecond. Suri just managed to stop herself from whirling around, but as another set flew past and found their targets, again at unholy speeds, she couldn't help but gasp. Beside her, Heero barked, Don't lose your concentration! 

She almost nodded, but realised the Mage would not see it, and mentally shook herself. Quatre, again? 

The blonde waited a second, then responded, Now! They merged and attacked once more, and just as before, the brief hesitation on the Maguanacs' part was enough for a third lot of arrows. With a start, Suri saw that only three men of the forty were left standing. One, the leader, was fighting with Zechs - the pair moved so quickly that a shot would probably have been too risky. Another man had three broken arrows beside him, and was parrying with Heero. _A Mage_, she realised suddenly. _But they are usually worse at fighting... _

Without thinking, she whipped her own dagger around and attacked the mercenary's jagular. The man's eyes widened and he raised his sword to block her, giving Heero the opportunity he needed - before she knew it, the Maguanac was down, with the hilt of another dagger in his shoulder and Heero's sword at his neck. From behind her, there was a low groan, and she spun to see the leader fall. She frowned slightly, noticing no sign of injury, then Duo turned and gave her a brief, grim smile, and she realised he had been waiting for the Mage to fall - and with him, the shields - before launching a quick light-bolt of his own.

Quickly, she turned to where Trowa was fighting the third and last Maguanac. The man must have registered the fall of his companions, because his moves were rough and held an edge of panic. Suddenly, he darted to the side to avoid an attack and called, "I surrender!"

Trowa paused slightly, and the man dropped his sword, lifting both arms in a guesture of surrender. Suri felt a surge of anger from behind, and turned to look at the leader, whose lips were tight with fury - or was it pain? He needn't have worried; Trowa's sword was at the last man's throat as he said contemptously, "I despise cowards." With that, his arm tensed in preparation of the killing blow, and the man swallowed.

In that instant, Quatre shouted unexpectedly, "Stop!" The other boy turned to him with a mild frown, but he said firmly, "It is dishonourable to kill anyone who surrenders. And I want to see who our rescuers are, first."

A familiar figure emerged from the bushes, followed by several others dressed in traditional gypsy fighting attire.

"Hilde!" Suri ran and embraced the other girl tightly, then pulled back slightly. "How'd you know we were here?"

The gypsy's grin held an edge of seriousness to it. "We found out that Oz had hired the Maguanacs soon after you left, but father didn't want to break our peace contract. Somehow, he doesn't realise that Oz will move onto the free people once he conquers Sanq." She gestured to her followers. "These people agree with me - we can't let Oz win, and we will do whatever we can to stop them from winning."

Suri gave Hilde's hand a squeeze, feeling slightly overwhelmed, and Zechs gave her the official bow normally reserved for elders. Nobody missed the implications of his action. In disobeying the gypsy laws, Hilde had declared herself a gypsy traitor and the leader of a rebel group. The fact that the prince accorded her with the respect due to a gypsy Elder spoke more than words could.

"Hey, nice to see you all," Duo's voice broke the silence. "but what are we gonna do about these guys here?"

"The arrows were dipped in a sleeping drug, nothing fatal."

"Hmm..." Zechs looked at the leader. "What do you want us to do with the traitor?"

The leader looked surprised for a moment, but answered without hesitation, "Kill him."

"No!" The man made as if to move, but froze when Trowa's knife pressed against his throat. "Rashid, we couldn't beat them... I had to do something..."

The leader looked at him. "What is the one standing rule in our party?"

The man's voice was subdued. "Never betray one another."

Rashid nodded, then glanced at Zechs. "Quickly will do; we don't abide torture. Or if you wish, I will do it. I cannot escape, anyhow."

The prince paused, thoughtfully, then let him up. Rashid took one look at the cowering man and in one swift movement, the head fell to the ground. He handed the knife to Zechs hilt first. The prince took it. "Now, I don't suppose you will tell us who hired you?"

A blunt shake of head. Zechs sighed softly. "You know I will have to kill you." 

There was a nod.

Besides Zechs, Quatre looked slightly shaken, but took the knife from his brother and offered it once more. "Would you prefer to do it yourself?"

For a moment, gratitude shone in the eyes of the leader as he took the weapon and tensed for the penetration.

"Wait!" The blonde suddenly looked thoughtful. "Can we find some way to spare your men? And if we do, would they feel any obligation to kill us?"

"The contract was made out to me." A brief burst of hope flickered in the man's face.

"How much can you reveal?"

"We either kill the Windriders, bring you to our employer alive or die in the process."

"I see." A thoughtful pause. "It is specifically your... employer?"

"Yes."

"And is there a time limit?"

"No."

"Do you feel any need, aside from that stated on your contract, to complete this task?"

"Not particularly."

"Then what if you... delay the task until we kill your employer and thus void your contract?"

A silence. "I don't see why that isn't possible... although it isn't particularly honourable."

Quatre gave him a sad smile. "Life rarely is black and white. I wish it was."

Rashid looked as though he wished to ask a question, but said instead, "Why do you want to save us?"

"I don't like death. And you don't either, not really." A brief smile. "Did the contract specify the Windriders?"

"Yes."

"Are there any other specifications?"

"The Windriders were described as a terrorist group causing dissent and disruption in Sanq."

Zechs' face tightened, but Quatre asked softly, "And if we can prove otherwise?"

Rashid paused, then said slowly, "The contract can be deemed as void."

The Healer looked at Zechs, who closed his eyes. Well, I was going to tell Hilde, and these gypsies are probably trustworthy since they risked their deaths in helping her. But these Maguanacs... 

Quatre looked at Rashid, and asked simply, "Can we trust you?"

The man stared back. "At the moment, no. I am bound to the contract."

The prince nodded, apparently satisfied. He's a good man. I trust his word. Outwardly, he said, "And your people?"

A cough drew their attention to the fallen Mage. "We go where Rashid leads. All of us. Even if he dies." He was bleeding profusely from the wound, but his voice was firm. Wordlessly, Quatre walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping the bleeding.

"Abdul..."

"It's the truth, and you know it." 

The two men stared at one another for a long moment, then Rashid bowed his head. "It is as he says."

Suri sent, They meant every word of that. 

Yes. Zechs stood straighter. Does anyone have any other comment? No? Here goes nothing, then... Quatre, wake the men. 

The Healer moved among the mercenaries, reviving them one by one with a brief touch. They woke, bewildered, but Rashid must have been giving out an unspoken signal, because they sat up and waited.

When Zechs finally spoke, his voice carried easily, borne from years of practice. "I think introductions are in order, then. Contrary to popular belief, we are not simply a group formed to oppose the Oz invasion. We were forced out of our homes Oz. We saw our lives taken away, our families killed, our friends burnt to death by the fire Oz set. So we fled and swore to do everything in our power to prevent Oz from controlling Sanq. Some of you may have heard of me." He paused for effect. "My name is Milliardo Peacecraft."

A stunned murmur passed through the small crowd. Zechs waited for it to pass, then continued, "And, in order, these are Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, Heero Yuy, Elementalist Suriku and Duo Maxwell." He turned to Rashid. "Your contract is void."

The leader nodded, stood, then bowed to the prince. "Prince Milliardo, I offer you my unconditional allegience, and that of the Maguanacs. We thank you for sparing our lives."

"Your allegience is gratefully accepted." Zechs offered his hand, and the man shook it. Then, the prince smiled at Quatre. "But it is he who you thank for your life."

"And indeed I do." Rashid turned to the blonde. "I do not have an offer of allegience for you, Prince Quatre, but for what it is worth, you have my loyalty." He paused. "I will never forget what you did."

Quatre smiled softly, taking his hand. "I thank you, Rashid. And for what it is worth, you have my friendship."

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - No, I'm not bitchifying or idiotising her, but you have to admit she was rather... *beep* at the beginning. But she should mature... someday..._

_[2] - That *had* to go in somewhere... lol..._

_The title for this chapter is appropriate, ne? Loyalty between Suri and the guys, Hilde's shift in loyalty, the Maguanac's newfound loyalty, and the other more subtle bits floating around. And btw, I *loved* Quatre in that section! It parallels Episode Zero, in some ways. O_O I've sorta done sections starring most of the guys since the war started. Only Mili's left... and Duo... *cackles evilly*_

_As always, I don't know how long the next chapter will take - who knows, a dose of reviews might help! ^.^_

¡@


	18. Moonlight

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _eventual shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Sorry I haven't posted in an eternity; I haven't been online much and I couldn't write due to medical reasons. Here's the next part, though._

_Landlady of the Universe__: Hi! Yep, Relena will grow up alright... I can't imagine writing an airhead for more than a couple of chapters. She'll be seeing Heero again soon... you can decide whether that's good or bad. The Maguanacs, though... they're definitely good. I'm trying to work in the Master Quatre thing myself, but it'll probably be natural (if you look back a bit, the servants address all of them as Master **, so yeah.) Thanks for the review!_

_Mariel Yuy__: Hehe, 100 reviews! Hey, have you gotten *any* of the emails I sent? Or have you replied to any but not recieved a reply to the reply? Cos the last email I have from you is dated July, and I have definitely sent you emails since that time. I used to email you from an old address, but my new one is esoteric_expression@yahoo.com. I've been emailing to the one listed on ff.net. If you haven't gotten the emails, I don't mind about Anokiv. He's slick, though, personality-wise, and good-looking in an evil kind of way (smooth springs to mind). Hair dark brown, shoulder-length and down. Sorta like the purple-haired android in D-ball Z, if you've seen it. Dark eyes, pale skin. If you see this, could you email me? This response is getting long. Thanks! :)_

_Stephanie Yuy__: Did you get my email? Thanks for writing and reminding me to get a move on, though I didn't see it until a month after you wrote it. Relena will have to wait, though - I like Wufei better, so I'll write him first. Ah, cosmic unfairness... *sighs* The Maguanacs will probably turn out quite useful, but camping will be a lot harder; as you say, it's a big group. Thanks for reviewing!_

_Heather__: Well, the hands are getting better (that's why you see this chapter), but thanks for your support. I'm sorry about your mother's hands, though - one year is bad enough for me, let alone eleven! And what wouldn't I give to be a real miracle worker... the chapters will fly right from my brain onto the screen... or yours. Hehe! Please keep reading and hope you enjoy!_

  
  
  
  


**Part XVIII: Moonlight**

  
They had walked for quite some time, Suri realised suddenly. The sunlight filtered through branches and leaves, turning them into strangely eerie silhouettes but illuminating the trail with a faint redish glow. She felt her eyelids drooping slightly even as her feet continued plodding on. _Of course, it doesn't help that we haven't rested properly since... hellfires, I don't even remember. Since Quatre sensed Trowa, at any rate._

The party had had to move on; it would have been too risky to stay, especially since the place they had fought at would almost definitely have been marked and recognised by the Maguanacs' former employer. Rashid had terminated the contract magically, reducing it into the ashes now fluttering invisibly in the breeze, but warned them that the aforementioned employer would be tracking them as soon as he knew of the shift in alliance. The employer's name was not revealed, of course; no mercenary of any reputation would disclose such information. However, the mercenary leader mentioned several facts that left no doubt in their minds that Oz was involved.

After informing both the gypsies and the Maguanacs of the events in Sanq, Zechs had asked Abdul, the Mage, about the massive amounts of energy for the shields during the fight. She had listened intently at that stage; it resembled the shields in the cities too closely to be a coincidence. She was left disappointed. Abdul explained that the mercenary band had been provided with a seemingly infinite source of Magical and Elemental energy, but that none of them had a clue as to where that energy originated from. He did, however, concur that the similarities in the inhuman strength of the varius shields probably did not happen by chance. At that point, Rashid had sighed and muttered something about 'damned contract bonds'.

A yawn sounded beside her, and Suri glanced over at Quatre and flashed him a look of sympathy. He responded with a tired smile and a slight shake of his head, and she realised suddenly that the Healer must be exhausted; he had been awake for longer than she had, having been running around and tracking Trowa's aura while she ans the others were taking a brief rest.

As though he heard her thoughts, Zechs slowed to a halt and glanced around him. There was a shuffle as the remainder of the party stopped, then the prince said, "We will rest here for tonight. Nightfall is approaching, and I doubt we will find another area quite as big as this one before it becomes too dark to travel. Please set up your tents, and we will gather here afterwards to discuss our plans."

Suri glanced around, noting the expanse of grass and the border of trees on one side, and nodded to herself, shrugging a pack of her back. _Gods, my shoulders are stiff. I can barely move them._ Reaching down with a groan, she hoisted one pole up and unscrewed a small nail, lengthening the object to a suitable height. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned, then grinned. "Hilde! I haven't spoken to you since the fight; you've been huddled at the back of the group."

The gypsy gave her an anwering smile. "We're most useful there. You know we spend half our lives hiding in trees, so it's natural that we'd notice if someone tries to track us by doing so. Did you see the scouts up the front?"

"Scouts?" Suri frowned, then quirked her lips. "They _are_ good, then."

Hilde feigned modesty by bowing slightly, but deliberately and completely ruined the effect by smirking. "I know." She gestured towards the packs. "Need a hand?"

"Don't you have unpacking to do?"

"We travel light." Reaching over her shoulders, Hilde withdrew a compact, net-like bundle and slung one end of it over an overhanging branch before expertly tying the other onto a trunk. "See? Hammocks don't leave stiff shoulders."

Suri shook her head with a slight smile, but she remained quiet, studying the gypsy with guarded silver eyes. _She's too cheerful, too... moving. She hasn't stood still since she came up to me. It's like Duo when he's trying to hide. _After a moment, it clicked. Lowering her voice, Suri queried, "Hilde, I'll only ask this once if it makes you uncomfortable - are you alright?"

A stunned look, covered instantly by a grin. "Why shouldn't I be? I'm not the one who's moving like a frostbitten camel."

Raising her eyebrows at the rsimile, Suri shook her head again. "But I'm not the one who's taken on the burden of being a rebel leader, either." When the other girl bit her lip, she continued gently, "Your didn't speak to your father, did you? Before leaving?"

Hilde shook her head vehemently. "Never. He doesn't get it; sticking to one-sided neutrality contracts is useless! I'm not going to sit and watch my people die."

Suri grasped her arm. "I know, Hilde. I understand why you left, even though I don't know much about gypsies. I just wanted to let you know... with me, you're a friend, not a leader. If you need an ear, I'm listening. Okay?"

The gypsy gave her a small smile and a single nod. After a moment, she reached down and took a pole, lengthening it as the other girl had done and planting it on the ground. Then, she leaned against it heavily, and murmured, "I don't know whether this is right, Suri. My group is made up of many of the better fighters, and if something happens to the others... they won't be able to defend themselves."

Suri was silent for a moment. "Do you have any way of knowing what is happening with them?"

A nod, then a shake of her head. "Yes, but not in an emergency. We do have messenger birds, though. They carry notes from father to me."

Suri considered it for a moment. "No, that won't work. They can't tell you what they see. Can you spare a scout or two? If you deploy them on a regular basis, you'll have intelligent information. We're going in a single path anyway, so there shouldn't be any problem with them finding their way back."

Hilde's eyes lit up, and she nodded slowly. "That might just work. If I send groups of three, they can even help if things go wrong; three invisible enemies are difficult to track, especially when they can use multi-shot bows to simulate more people." A polite 'Elder?' sounded, and Hilde straightened. "Thanks, Suri. Talk to you later."

Suri smiled back. "Sure. And you're welcome." She felt an unexpected pang as the other girl left. _Damn, I forget that she has responsibilties now... a duty to her own people. _Glancing at the strangely attired group, she thought, _they're pretty amazing, aren't they? But they're so different... I don't think I'll ever understand them completely. Every group around here has such a unique set of rules that only they understand. I wonder where I fit in._

Hiding a sigh and a wistful look, Suri sat down, arms curled around her knees. She wasn't aware of the green eyes watching her carefully from beside another tent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei leaned against the stony wall, his clothes sweaty and his breath coming in short, rapid pants. After a few moments of rest, he began pacing slowly; it wasn't healthy to sleep directly after exercise. When he had cooled suficiently, Wufei began to move back towards the building, then paused, his eyes travelling upwards and resting on the full moon. The onyx eyes widened, and the youth stood perfectly still for what seemed like an eternity. Only when a few wisps of grey shifted and obscured Wufei's vision did he heave a nearly inaudible sigh and turn away.

The soft, almost vulnerable expression was replaced abruptly by shock, then irritation, as Wufei caught sight of the figure perched on the stone steps. It was lucky that he was in a somewhat peaceful mood; as it was, he found it amazingly difficult to refrain from bolting or exploding. Noticing his attention, the figure - a female, he realised - stood and approached, stopping an arm's length away and bowing slightly. "I apologise for intruding, but it has been a long time since I last saw the kata executed so flawlessly."

Surprise seeped through the carefully neutral expression, remaining there for an instant before flickering away. Wufei studied the female more closely. Something wasn't quite right - there was discord between the brown braids, the nun's attire and the words uttered so nonchalently. "You have seen the kata?"

The female nodded. "Yes. My sifu was quite experienced in martial arts."

A veiled frown. "Then you are of the clans." It was a statement, not a question. The youth was fully alert now, and had he possessed Empathy, Wufei would have felt the girl's regret at the change and wondered at it. As it was, he merely added, "Your father... 'was'?"

She answered the unspoken question with a simple nod. "He, like the others in my clan, are resting in peace."

Wufei bowed slightly in acknowledgement, but did not say anything; expressing grief for the deaths of people he did not know would be meaningless, but he would accord them with all due respect. Then, he asked, "What clan are you of?"

"Horse." The girl bowed. "I am Po Sally. It is an honour."

"The honour is all mine." The familiar words rolled off his tongue before he could stop them, and he hid his discomfort with a responding bow. "I am Chang Wufei... formerly of Dragon Clan." Sally noted the implication with a small lift of her eyebrow, and though she did not press, Wufei felt obliged to repay her earlier offer of private information with some of his own. "I have done... deeds... that make me unworthy."

The girl regarded him for a moment, then shook her head. "'Mistakes can be rectified, if one puts his heart into undoing the damage and into avoiding the mistake in the future,'" she quoted. "'The most important thing is that the heart is in it.'"

Wufei looked away. "The clan has no need for weaklings."

"I have seen you do the kata. No weak person could do it so gracefully."

He shook his head. "I am... a coward. Cowards have no right to fight."

Sally glanced at him. "I believe we all fight to make ourselves stronger. And it takes courage to admit to a weakness." When he didn't reply, she followed his line of sight to where it rested once more on the silvery moon, and murmured, "The moon is beautiful, though."

He studied her expression quietly, and after a moment of hesitation, gave a brief nod. "I was remembering a poem written by our forefathers." At her questioning gaze, he elaborated, "He wrote in during a journey to a distant land. To him, the moon reminds him of home because no matter where you go, the moon is still the same moon."

"Ah." Homesickness for the sense of belonging that existed in clanlife... she could understand that. Softly, trying not to break the delicate mood, Sally recited, "'Chuang qian ming yue guang/Yi shi di shang shuang/Ju tou wang ming yue/Di tou si gu xiang.'" _[1]_

Wufei looked at her in surprise, and she smiled. "Father used to read tang si to me when I was young. That was one of the first I learnt." Her voice bore a hint of sadness. _[2]_

He hesitated, glanced at her once again, then asked quietly, "What happened?"

She regarded him carefully. "How much do you know of clan history?"

"Most of my knowledge is about our forefathers' generation or about the clans that have allied themselves with different kingdoms."

Sally nodded. "Quite understandable. Well... let's see. The Horse clan was a pacifist clan; we were all Healers or herbalists, though there were a few Empaths and Psychics too. All we used for defence was the anti-Healing powers, and because those powers were considered corrupt, they were only to be used in desperate situations." She noticed his expression. "Have you heard of them?"

After a moment, he nodded. "A... friend once lost control of his powers. The kingdom was not aware it existed."

"It is not common knowledge, because unless you are a really powerful Healer, awakening the power is a complicated process." Sally glanced at him sharply, wondering whether the mention of the 'kingdom' was worth pursuing, then decided against it. "Anyway, it was a neutral clan, but during wartime, it would help injured parties from all sides. Some members of the clan were against this, saying it was too dangerous, and after several decades, the clan split. One side formed the clan of the snake; peaceful when left alone, but fanged when attacked."

"I was born in the other, which continued to call themselves the clan of the Horse. However, when I was young, I could not access any Healing powers, and thus had no means of defending myself in danger. After much consideration, I was sent to live temporarily with the Tiger Clan so I could learn some basic martial arts techniques. When I returned, I was taught herbal cures and theories regarding the use of the Healing gift. Then, around a year ago, a group of people attacked my clan. Somehow, they were so well-shielded that nobody could use their gift to defend themselves, so the only person who could fight was myself."

She took a deep breath. "I was beaten, of course; all I learnt was basic moves. However, because I resisted, they decided to keep me alive... the leader... wanted me." A blush rose to her face, though her eyes flashed with something akin to anger. "The rest of my clan was slaughtered. Then, I'm not sure how... I could suddenly feel a powerful source of energy inside me, and I unleashed it at them." A humourless chuckle. "My Healing gift, and with it, the anti-Healing gift, had awakened."

Sally shrugged, then, the anger visibly seeping out of her. "Not much to tell, after that. I had to learn to control the Heaing powers, so I lived alone for a while. Then I found this place, and now I offer basic Healing services in return for food and board, and I continue training myself."

Wufei, who had remained quiet during the entire recount, bowed slightly. "I admire your courage, and thank you for telling me of your past." He faced her. "Do you know who the killers were?"

She shook her head. "They disappeared with the bodies of their companions a few moments after my powers were unleashed."

"Portals..." He gave a single nod. "When this war is over, and if... if all goes well, I will send a message to some... contacts. They will help avenge your clan, if it is posible. What the killers did was dishonourable; attacking anyone who cannot defend themselves, especially pacifists, is cowardly."

"War?"

Wufei gave her a brief explanation of recent events, ommitting his own part in it. She listened carefully, then nodded her thanks, saying, "Thank you. But you don't need to go out of your way; though you have not told me this, I think contacting your 'contacts' will be rather... awkward for you." Onyx eyes flew up at this observation, but she pretended not to notice. "Soon, when I feel I'm ready, I will go and seek the aid of the Tiger clan. They were once close in contact with my clan, and I think the will help."

Wufei glanced at her. "You know where they are?"

"If they have't moved, yes." Sally pointed to some peaks rising beyond the trees. "There's a complex of caves over there, where they usually camp in the colder months." She moved her hands downwards. "And in warmer weather, they hunt and camp in the Atsuari Forests."

He made a mental note of the facts, then glanced up at the moon. "It is late. You should rest."

Seeing no antagonism on his features, she simply nodded and moved off, with a brief 'see you tomorrow'. Then, she stopped, turning to face him once more. "When will you leave?"

Wufei's face became guarded, but he considered the matter for a few moments. "Tomorrow evening, I tink. Night travel suits me." _It's less likely hat I will run into... them._

Sally nodded, hesitated, then asked, "Will you say goodbye?"

He regarded her in mild surprise. "If you wish."

She smiled. "Thanks, Wufei. Good night." The, the girl disappeared into the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What?!"

A slender hand fell onto his arm placatingly, then the girl turned to look at the messenger, who seemed ready to flee. _Idiots._ Deliberately donning a patient expression, Dorothy requested, "Repeat that, and this time, don't stammer."

The messenger took a deep breath. "We can no longer feel a connection from the Maguanacs to the energy source."

"Since how long ago?"

"Um... two candlemarks, sir."

Anokiv glared dangerously. "And why wasn't I informed?"

"Uh, you said not to disturb you..." He gulped.

"Incompetent fools, all of you." The words came out as a snarl, and he waved an arm dismissively. "Get out of my sight."

The messenger fairly flew out of the room. When he was gone, Anokiv closed his eyes in concentation. "Damn, he's right." He turned to the blonde. "The question is _why_."

"Deserted?"

He frowned, and rummaged around a small container, withdrawing a sealed parchment. With a gesture, a flame licked at the seal, melting it, and Anokiv unfolded the contract. "Shit."

She raised an eyebrow, delicately snagging the sheet, and responded, "Indeed." The black ink dictating the conditions of employment was sill there, on top of them, a single word was printed in red. 'Void'. "The same question, then. Why, and also, how."

A humourless chuckle. "Oh, 'how' is simple; you burn one contract, and the other is automatically voided. They're alive, then. 'Why', though... is considerably more curious." His equilibrium was returning, though his eyes still glinted furiously. "And for us, 'what' should also be considered." He paused. "Our retalliation, now that the Windriders are still alive. What will it be?"

"Could they be together?"

"Very... possible."

"Hmm. I'd give a lot to know why, but the spies will uncover the facts, with time."

The voice was deceptively calm. "My _dear_ Dorothy, the fact is this - we don't _have_ much time. By the time my father controls the king, we have to have Sanq."

The division of goals again. Dorothy held back a sigh of exasperation, suggesting mildly, "Task force B is close to the Mt Sera cloister."

"And?"

"They'll stop there tomorrow, surely?"

"Ah." The Mage smiled darkly. "Ah, yes. That might just work."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Someone cleared his throat behind her, and Suri spun around. "Who..." Noticing the brown-haired youth disentangling himself from the trees, she relaxed. "Oh. Hi, Trowa... how long have you been there?"

Trowa studied her face briefly. "Almost two candlemarks."

Suri's eyes flew up, noting the position of the silvery moon, then lowered again as she stared at the youth before her. _That's almost as long as I've been out here... _A small chuckle escaped from her throat. "Damn. I forget how amazing you guys are, sometimes." Her face became serious. "Do you need anything?"

His one visible eye regarded her calmly. "Do _you_ need anything?"

Suri frowned. "What do you mean?"

The voice was measured. "Something is bothering you. Otherwise, you would not choose solitude over sleep when you are exhausted."

She curved her lips in a grin. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Just wanted some time out, that's all."

Trowa raised an eyebrow slightly, though his face was otherwise expressionless. "You suppose I believe that?"

Silver eyes locked with emerald, and for a long moment, neither spoke. Then, Suri sighed softly. "I'm alright, serious. I was just trying to sort some things out."

Closing the remaining distance between them, Trowa gestured towards a fallen trunk, offering quietly, "Maybe you would like to talk about it?"

She glanced at the taller youth. He was already seated, and after a brief hesitation, she did the same. Then, she turned to face him. "Why, Trowa?" _Why are you doing all this?_

Her companion returned the gaze evenly. "Why do you find it so difficult to accept that your friends care about you?"

That stumped her. There was another long silence. Then, Suri murmured, "Sometimes... sometimes, it's very easy to feel alone." She looked up, meeting his eyes for an instant before turning away. "The Maguanacs, the gypsies, you guys... each group is bonded by something." She bit her lips. "It sounds selfish, but sometimes, I feel left out... " Her eyes flickered to his. "I'm just a nameless orphan."

The taller youth remained absolutely still for an eternity before shaking his head. "Not *just* an orphan, Suri... never that." With those almost inaudible words, he lowered his shields in a soundless invitation.

Suri stared at him, her eyes widening with shock. "I can't..." she trailed off. Never, in all the time she had known him, had Trowa made an impulsive move... except when it concerned Quatre. _Oh gods, that means he's letting me... gods. _He nodded, as though in confirmation, and she took a deep breath. Slowly, tentatively, she probed into the youth's mind, carefully avoiding the shielded areas. Then, there was a loud gasp as she yanked herself away.

Trowa waited patiently for her breathing to slow before saying quietly, "You see? We are more alike than you thnk." He pushed his bangs back in a single, fluid motion, meeting her bewildered gaze for an instant. "You were the one who showed me that it didn't matter."

Dazedly, Suri heard herself asking, "How?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring up into the night sky. "You know I was adopted; I told you when we met. But 'the guys', as you refer to them, are all of noble birth. The emotions you just felt... they used to be very familiar." Trowa lowered his gaze again. "But when you arrived, I saw them accept you, and felt myself doing the same. I realised then that none of my concerns really mattered."

He took a deep breath, unaccustomed to long speeches, then added softly, "Don't let Heero get to you, Suri. He's as confused as you are, perhaps even more so."

She nodded in acceptance of the last sentence before focusing on the earlier words, trying to absorb them. "You accept me..."

Trowa nodded. "All of us." He glanced at her, one corner of his lips tilting upwards. "And making Wufei accept a female is quite an achievement."

She let out a surprised chuckle before shaking her head slowly. "He's a better person than he realises." Then, earnestly, "Thanks, Trowa. That means a lot to me."

"I know." He nodded once, rising gracefully to his feet and offering a hand to help her up. When she, too, was standing, Trowa said, "Go and rest, Suri. Good night... and sweet dreams." He turned and began to move away.

"Wait!" Suri grasped ay his arm. "Trowa... you're a better person than you realise as well. Quatre knows that. You past doesn't matter to him any more than mine does to you."

The youth froze in his tracks.

Suri moved so she could meet the emerald eyes. "There's a bond between you that's unlike any other bond I've seen. You care for each other as more than brothers or friends."

Trowa's heart was thumping so loudly that he was surprised he could still hear her. "Suri, don't..." He swallowed, then finished in a whisper, "Don't tell him. Please."

She gave him a soft smile. "I won't. But he cares too. I just thought you should know that."

He shook his head. "He deserves something better... he's a prince. I'm a commoner." With a mild flush, he remembered his earlier words, and looked at her almost pleadingly. "Suri... this is different. To be a friend, a companion... I can handle that. Anything more..."

She regarded him silently. "I don't think there is anything better, Trowa. To him, you're the best. He is more concerned about his own inadequacies than about yours."

Trowa glanced at her. "He doesn't have any..." He paused. "Not to me."

"I know. And you don't, not to him." Her voice was gentle. "Shouldn't you trust his heart? I know I do." Trowa's hands were clenched tightly at his sides, though his face was as unreadable as ever. Suri reached over and coaxed the fists apart, then took them in her own hand and met his eyes as she finished, "Quatre loves you, Trowa. Go to sleep. I think he's still lying awake, waiting, though he will pretend otherwise." She released his hands. "Good night, Tro. Thank you for caring."

With that, she flitted off towards the tents.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - The poem is 'Jing Ye Si' by 'Li Bai'. For those who do not understand Chinese, I will attempt a translation, though all the poetic devices will no doubt be lost. Here goes: Bright moonlight before my bed/ Hoardrost on the ground/ I raise my head and look at the bright moon/ I lower my head and think of home._

_[2] - A form of Chinese poetry._

_I'm moving onto one of my favourite parts... can anyone guess where it will be set? Several major bits of plot and character development will happen there, and a decent portion of angst. A hint here, it will have a lot to do with one of the two characters who haven't yet starred (in my opinion). The people are gathering, though... I promise, there'll be more action coming up. On several fronts..._

_Next chapter... hmm, if my reviewers haven't died or given up on me, what does too weeks sound like? Too long? Nooooooooooo...... of course it isn'! *smiles brightly* By the way, if anyone wants alerts in the future, drop a note in a review. I'll also send out notices if I can't write for any prolonged period of time, ie. a month or more._

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	19. Reunion

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and I hope they keep coming!_

_Mariel Yuy__: Heya! I got your email today, but I've got to run... it's almost Christmas, and we've gotta go celebrate, right? But I'll email you back tomorrow night with all the details. Sorry for the delay! And thanks for the long review._

_Stephanie Yuy__: No life? You're telling me that you're some macho, back-from-the-dead spirit? *faints* Nah, I doubt that, and nope, I'm not waiting three months this time. Good ol' me! *pats self on back* I think I've been drinking too much..._

_Corbin__: The quote does fit, doesn't it? Duo says lots of cool stuff, though all I've heard are from websites. *grin* Thanks for the review!_

_hikari hime__: I hope you haven't had to wait too long. This is the next chapter, hope you enjoy it!_

_Silent Storm__: Hehe... poor eyes! I'm glad you liked it, and thanks a lot for your review!_

  
  
  
  


**Part IXX: Reunion**

He paused outside the tent, listening intently. The breathing of the youth within was indeed uneven, and after several moments, he heard a soft, muffled sigh and the sound of a body rolling over. The noises were barely audible, but Trowa could recognise them; being a naturally observant person, he had a mental catalogue of most of his closer friends' movement patterns, and could discern what they were doing simply by listening. When it came to Quatre, his knowledge bank was particularly extensive.

_Quatre..._ Suri's words echoed in his mind repeatedly, and much as a part of him wanted to shut them out, to ignore them, another part clutched on to them almost desperately. He wanted to believe, but he didn't, couldn't. _This is so confusing..._

_// When I'm lost in the rain //_

He reached out and lifted the flap, stepping inside. Instantly, the breathing slowed and evened out. Trowa hesitated, then called softly, "Quatre?"

Aqua coloured orbs peeked out from beneath the covers, followed by the rest of Quatre's face. The Healer sat up, giving him a sheepish smile, somehow calming him down in spite of everything. "Hi, Trowa."

_// In your eyes I know I'll find the light to light my way //_

The taller youth entered, folded his knees together in a single, graceful movement and sat down. He searched his mind for things to say, finally venturing, "You were waiting up... for me?"

Quatre's eyes widened - the question caught him by surprise. With a slow nod, he responded. "Yeah. I couldn't sleep, and... well, I... "

_He was worried, _Trowa realised, then thanked the gods that Heero's shields blocked even Empathy when a wave of warmth coursed through him. His own heart began pounding again, but this time, it wasn't from nervousness or confusion...

_// And when I'm scared and losing ground  
When my world is going crazy, you can turn it all around //_

When he didn't speak, Quatre finished quietly, "I still haven't gotten used to the fact that you're back, I guess."

He met the blonde's eyes. "I'm glad to be back." _With you._

Quatre's face lit up, and he leaned over to brush Trowa's hand briefly. "So am I, my friend." His face was so close that it fanned the taller youth's brown bangs. Trowa tensed, almost pulling back, but with a supreme mental effort, he held himself still. Quatre wasn't a Healer trainee for nothing, however; he sensed the other youth's discomfort almost immediately and pulled away with a blush. Mumbling an apology, the blonde turned away and concentrated on straightening his blanket.

Awkwardly, Trowa retreated to his own pillow and waited. When the silence lasted too long, he murmured, "It's okay, Quatre." A pause. _Can I risk it? His friendship and his trust... I can't lose either... but Suri, if what you say is true... _He took a deep breath. "I didn't mind."

A soft, startled noise escaped, and the Healer covered his mouth in a vain attempt to stifle the sound. There was a silence. "Do... do you mean that?"

Trowa gave a single nod, trying not to reveal his agitation, but beneath the thin blanket, his nails bit deeply into his palm. Blue eyes peered into emerald for a long while, and Trowa cursed his mouth mentally. _Damn, I knew I shouldn't hav- huh? _His eyes flew open when he felt arms wrapped tightly around him. _Quatre? _His own arms came up of their own accord, and in an amazingly smooth, practiced movement, they reached around and circled the blonde. _My gods... this feels so *right*..._

_// And when I'm down you're there; pushing me to the top  
You're always there; giving me all you've got_ //

Neither of them were willing to move apart, but soon, Quatre raised his face from the taller youth's shoulder and inhaled deeply. Trowa realised then that both of them had forgotten to breathe. He heard a soft chuckle and realised belatedly that the sound came from himself, but for some reason, he didn't care - there was no longer any need to hide. Not any more. _He'd never hurt me... I see that now..._

_// For a shield from the storm;  
For a friend; for a love  
To keep me safe and warm, _  
_I turn to you. //_

At the unusual sound, Quatre sent him a smile, then shifted and settled next to him. After a moment, he murmured, "Trowa... you know I care about you, right? ...As more than a friend?"

Trowa hesitated, then bobbed his head in a nod. "I can... feel it. I'm not sure how..." He met the blonde's eyes. "I didn't believe it, before."

"But now you do." Quatre smiled, somehow conveying joy and encouragement with the simple movement. "I'm glad, Trowa. I... I wasn't sure how you felt, and I couldn't bring myself to tell you... " The blonde looked up curiously. "But why now?"

The youth stared up at the top of the tent. "I was talking to Suri. She... she said my past doesn't matter to you..."

Shock flitted through Quatre's face. "Of course it doesn't!" He opened his mouth to add something more, then paused, his expression growing thoughtful. "It's been gnawing at you, hasn't it? Ever since you realised Catherine was your sister... before that, even." He met the other youth's gaze. "Trowa, please listen to me ... I don't care what your name is, who your parents are, or where you were born... the only thing that matters is that you're the person I care about more than anything..."

Trowa closed his eyes. The silence stretched into eternity, but he didn't notice; his thoughts were focused inwards, turning each and every word over and over, disecting them and trying to understand the confusion that they brought. Finally, he simply asked, "Why?"

This time, Quatre didn't hesitate. "I feel safe when I'm with you. I know you'd always be there to support me, and you make me stronger than I am by myself. You don't say much but I can feel it... and sometimes, it's the only thing I'm sure of - your strength and your support... "

"Strength?" He felt surprise and hid it automatically, then reconsidered and let a flicker of it show on his face. He shook his head. Softly, the youth responded, "I get my strength from you, Quatre. Without you, I..."

_// For the strength to be strong //_

He paused, searching for words. "Without you, I wouldn't be able to go on..."

_// For the will to carry on //_

Quatre's eyes swam with some undescribable emotion, but he didn't speak, so Trowa continued, "You... you're not afraid of caring, and you care so deeply about everything..." He glanced at the blonde. "I don't know how to describe it, but you're pure, incorruptible. Even when I'm not sure about myself, I know you can find the right path..."

_// For everything you do  
For everything that's true, //_

Trowa took a deep breath and finished, "That's why I need you."

_// I turn to you //_

Quatre wrapped his arms tightly around his friend, who lifted his own blanket and tucked it shyly around the two of them. That night, their dreams were peaceful, as though they were nowhere near the warring, uncertain reality that surrounded them... [1]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the reddish glow of dawn, Luiordo of the gypsies was conferring closely with his advisors. The messengers this morning had brought disturbing news; they would have to act this time, and the thought made the Elder decidedly uneasy. As a leader of nomads, one should not break any contract, because any type of trust would be harder to come by in the future. At the end, it all depended on the strength of the exiled prince - on whether he would be strong enough to reestablish Sanq rule in spite of the Ronterdo family's deeply rooted plans.

From what he heard, Bocherik had already gained a considerable amount of control over the reigning monarch of Oz, which meant that the contracts would soon be void, unless a puppet king was deemed useful. That could well be the case, however; at least the Ronterdos would not have to control Treize or stall civil unrest. The uncertainties were what made Luiordo hesitate. On one hand, he could do nothing, and respect the conditions of the contract. On the other, he could take what remained of the gypsy fighters to Maxwell Cloister in Mt Sera, where one of Oz's strongest secret operational teams was scheduled to attack within two days...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been decided the previous night that they would continue towards Oz because the Maguanacs had a hidden stronghold of supplies near the border. The decision suited their original plans, so all were satisfied; the gypsies did not answer to Zechs, of course, but as allied leaders, Hilde and the prince had reached an agreement, and the party would remain together for a while yet. There had been some talk of contacting other gypsy elders, but the matter was still vague, and Hilde had seemed unwilling to comment on it.

It was mid-afternoon, and once again, the sun was belting down upon them, but this time, increasingly immense mountains towered on one side and provided them with some shade. Zechs mentioned quietly that they were passing the Fort Ranges, a physical border partially seperating Pierot in Oz and Sahkron in Sanq. _[2] _They would probably reach Maxwell Cloister that night, he told her, and because the establishment had been built on the flat, expansive cliffs of Mt Sera, they would most definately have a place to camp. Suri had been grateful for his consideration in relieving some of her hidden concerns; setting tents on a narrow path did not seem particularly wise, and neither did sleeping on sloping ground.

Once again, nobody talked much. She was still tired, and was more than inclined to conserve her energy, though Duo was chatting animatedly with Hilde and another gypsy and Quatre and Trowa seemed... close. She hoped that they had discussed certain issues; maybe the others had not been aware of it, but some tensions were hard to shield from Empaths. A sudden, cool gust of wind whipped up her hair and Suri closed her eyes in relief. The ground now fell sharply to one side, and the heat was no longer intolerable, so maybe she would survive after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He knocked once. After a moment, the door opened, and a face peeked out. "Wufei!" The girl stepped from the room. "You are leaving?"

The youth nodded. "I came to say goodbye."

"Thank you for remembering." Sally gave him a smile, then closed the door behind her. "Can I walk you out?"

Wufei's expression flickered with mild surprise. "If you wish." They made their way through the cloister, passing through its front door and going up a mild slope to the mountain path.

"Do you have any plans?"

He glanced at her, then turned away. "I'm not sure."

She was silent for a moment. "Why not stay for a while, then?"

Wufei shook his head. "I don't want to meet.." He halted abruptly, ducking behind a protruding boulder and gesturing for her to do the same. In a low voice, he told her, "Don't move." A hesitation. "Please."

Sally looked at him in some confusion, but focused her attention on the narrow road when she noticed the dust cloud and the mumble of treading feet. A large party slowly came into view, with a black-clad, blonde-haired youth at its head. She shot a sharp look at Wufei, whose calm expression warred with clenched fists and darting eyes. Before she could react, however, two outlandish people materialised on either side of them and pressed a dagger into their necks The weapons were not quite drawing blood, but their positions made it clear that the two of them were trapped.

One of the gypsies - or so she assumed they were - raised his arm in a signalling gesture, but before he could say anything, Wufei interrupted grimly, "Wait." Raising his voice, he called, "Zechs!"

The leader started, fixing ice-blue eyes on the two of them; they were now standing, thanks to a pair of rather insistent daggers. "Wufei?!"

Five other people stepped up beside him, all showing varying degrees of surprise and relief. With a wave of his hand, the leader indicated for the gypsies to release them, and within two seconds, the six were beside the boulder. One of them, a dark-haired youth, stepped forward and raked cobalt eyes over Wufei's body before stating, "You're not injured." The leader remained silent.

"No." Wufei looked at each of them for a long moment, then suddenly kneeled and the ground with his head bowed. Sally caught the leader jerking his hand forward involuntarily. After several seconds, the Asian began to speak. "I apologise for deserting without notice, and for any worries you may have had. I will accept any form of punishment you deem appropriate." The leader opened his mouth, but Wufei forstalled him with a raised hand. "However... I am no longer worthy of being part of the group. Therefore, once I have received the punishment, I beg your permission to leave."

Silence met his proclamation, though Sally saw that two other people were now standing behind the group - a gypsy female, and some kind of fighter. Finally, the blonde-haired leader responded, "Wufei, I accept your apology for causing us concern. However, I do not think you would have acted the way you did without reason. Therefore, I will first require an explanation for your actions... and for your desire to withdraw from the group."

Her companion rose, his face momentarily betraying a weariness that seemed too old for his years. "Very well." Wufei stood for a while, organising his thoughts, battling his demons... Sally's heart ached for him. She could sense the inner struggle behind the youth's mask, being a Healer, and had she possessed the ability to heal broken hearts, she would have done so in a heartbeat. As it was, she knew it was none of her business, so she listened in silence as the youth spoke.

"Once Trowa left, I gave the woman my katana; I couldn't fight a female who had not attacked first. She was Colonel Une of Oz. She took me to see Prince Treize Khushrenada," He looked up, then, and Sally thought he was mildly surprise at their lack of shock, but he continued, "who offered to duel with me. If I defeated him, I would be released; if he defeated me, I would die."

There was a pause, then Wufei finished, "I lost." His voice was low, edged with shame, and Sally saw a raven-haired girl wince and put her hand on a blonde youth's shoulder. The blonde's expression was pained. "However, because I did not fight with my katana, he told me that he did not win fairly, and spared my life."

Wufei raised his eyes. "Instead of avenging the deaths of my wife and the others who died on Zolte, I live now at the mercy and in the life debt of the one who ordered their deaths. I am honour-broke. I am not worthy of fighting beside any of you." He glanced away, then, and refused to meet their eyes.

There was a long silence. At last, the leader said, "Wufei... believe it or not, I understand why you believe that you should leave. However, I feel otherwise; if you could not defeat him in the fight, and cannot harm him in the future because of the life debt, you can still use your skills to protect those in Sanq who need protection. You can still benefit our cause. Therefore, I wish for you to stay. You can take it as your punishment, if you so desire."

Wufei thought the words over; not in consideration, because he had promised he would accept any form of punishment, but because he could not promise more than he felt able to give. Finally, he gave a single nod. "I accept your request. However, there are two other things you should know. One, Prince Khushrenada said that he did not know anything about the slaughter in the cities. I do not know if he was telling the truth. However, he did not deny his part in the Zolte slaughter, so I suspect we will have to look into the attacks on the cities more closely. Two, Relena Darlian is alive. She is at Maxwell Cloister, but I have not seen her since I informed her of her parents' deaths."

The cobalt-eyed youth asked sharply, "Relena?"

Wufei nodded. "As I said, I haven't seen her around. She may have left." He looked at Sally, then, as though suddenly remembering her presence. He paused. "It seems that I have been amiss. Zechs, this is Sally Po, a member of the clans who is now working at the Maxwell Cloister." The youth glanced at her for permission, and she nodded, so he explained her past briefly. Then, he introduced the six of them - Zechs, Heero, Duo, Suri, Quatre, Trowa - before pausing.

Zechs stepped in when he noticed the lapse. "Wufei, Sally, this is Rashid of the Maguanacs," he gestured towards the fighter, who inclined his head, ignoring Wufei's startlement, "who is now our ally. The Maguanacs were originally sent to capture us, but due to some events which I will explain in detail later, they are now travelling with us." He gestured to the female, who gave them a smile. "And this is Hilde of the gypsies, who I believe Wufei has met. She, too, is now travelling with us with a group of gypsies under her command."

Wufei bowed slightly to each of them. Then, Zechs continued in a raised voice that carried to the back of the party, "And although I do think we should look into the city slaughter, there is now considerably more information, both from the gypsies and the Maguanacs, " he nodded slightly at the two allies, "and from Wufei. Discussing the matter will take some time. Therefore, I suggest that everyone unpack and set up for the night before we begin any serious study."

Sally suggested quietly, "The Maxwell Cloister is larger than it looks; perhaps you would like to sleep there instead?"

Zechs gave her a smile, but declined politely. "We do not wish to inconvenience anybody, especially when we can do nothing in return. Besides, if we are attacked, we can defend ourselves better in the open, and there will be less risk of injury to bystanders.However, do you think there is a room we could use for a meeting? Campfires aren't ideal for writing, but Mage or Elemental lights will require energy, and we may not have much to spare."

She considered, then said, "I'll ask."

Zechs looked satisfied. "Thank you. Would you mind if we question you further on what happened with your clan when the need arises? I feel there are links between the events we experienced."

Sally nodded once more. The group, she noticed, was almost set up; the efficiency surpassed that of her clan. It surprised her, and she vowed to find out exactly who the Maguanacs were. She waited for a while, then gestured for them to follow. "I'll introduce you to Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. I'm sure they will let you use a room, but you would need their permission, not mine."

"Of course." Zechs responded. "I'll be glad to meet them."

The ten of them walked towards the building, and Sally opened the door, smiling a conversing pair in the reception room. The name was rather too fancy for the room, which was merely a small chamber separating the main part of the building and the doorway, but Sally thought that it may once have been furnished rather prettily. Some renmants of stain glass and paintings remained, though there were visible gaps where some had disappeared; she had sometimes wondered idly whether they had been stolen or sold to supply for difficult times. "Father Maxwell, Sister Helen, this group is passing by, and I invited them in for a rest." She introduced them in turn, then continued, "They would like a small room for a meeting. Would one be available?"

Sister Helen smiled warmly. "Of course. Would you not like a place to stay for the night?"

Zechs declined with a gracious shake of his head. "Thank you for your kindness, but we'd hate to interpose. Tents have already been erected outside. However, firelight is rather difficult to read or write by, so if you have a chamber available, we would be very grateful if you let us use it."

The priest nodded. "As you wish. But you'll stay for a meal, at least? We have food to spare, and visitors are always welcome.".

Zechs paused; there seemed to be no polite way to refuse the hospitality, not when it was so earnestly offered. "We thank you, then, for your kindness, and accept your offer of a meal."

The Sister smiled. "It is no bother, I promise you. Come, follow me - you must all be weary from your journey."

She led them into the dining chamber, with the Father behind her. Once they were all seated, the Sister left, evidently to prepare some food. The priest then asked casually, "So what brings so many people this far north?"

Zechs explained briefly about how he and the rest of his companions were people opposed to Oz's control of Sanq, and how they wished to protect Sanq citizens from further Oz attacks. Then, Sister Helen returned, and the matter was dropped as they ate and talked about inconsequential things, though Father did, in response to a question, tell them some facts about Maxwell Cloister. Sally found herself smiling when he described the Prayer Chamber - his aging, lined face grew decidedly more animated with each piece of artwork he discribed. One boy - Duo, his name was - listened raptly. When the priest finished, he said, "I've always art... do you think I could take a look some time, Father?"

Heero spoke up curtly. "Duo, we have a meeting."

The braided boy made a face. "There's time after that, or in the morning before we leave. I won't take five years, you know."

The cobalt-eyed boy merely glared. "You will need all the rest you can get."

Duo looked at him, slightly defiant. "I'll survive, Heero. Besides, why can't I do what I want when it doesn't endanger or affect anyone?"

Heero thought for a moment, his glare still strong, his expression still inscrutable. "Your physical state is important in fights. If you are tired, it will affect everybody."

"In fact," Father Maxwell interposed lightly, "I would be honoured if this young man visits the chamber; it has been quite a while since any person has appreciated the art in there, and artwork unappreciated is artwork lost. Sister Helen, would you take Duo there now? I think he has finished his meal, and some people haven't yet done so." He smiled at Heero. "I'm sure he will be back before he is missed."

Heero's lips thinned when Duo smiled gratefully at the priest, but he didn't argue against his host. The braided boy noticed and turned to him. The normally cheerful voice was edged with frustration as Duo demanded, "Heero, why can't I have a life besides our mission? I've never let our cause down, and nor has anybody else here - everyone tries their best. But we're humans too; sometimes, we need a break, a chance not to think about the responsibilities we have. Even if you don't, can't you just let it be..." He took a deep breath, hesitating, then finished quietly, "Can't we matter as friends and not as objects that serve a mission?"

There was a silence. Heero fixed his attention on his food. Then, Suri spoke gently, "Go, Duo... I haven't finished. I'll keep stuffing myself until you come back, okay?"

Quatre nodded, his hand brushing Duo's for a fleeting moment. "Don't worry about hurrying back. I understand."

Duo glanced briefly at each of them, expressing his thanks without unnecessary words. Then, he followed the standing Sister out of the room. After he left, Suri turned to Heero, but before she could speak, the door slid open and a figure stepped in. They all looked up as a female voice exclaimed, "Heero!"

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - Song: 'I Turn to You' by Christina Aguilera_

_[2] - If anybody has been keeping track of the geography, it should all work out; Hilde in Ch 12 had mentioned both these cities, and many of the events in the more recent chapters have happened in or between these places. I just wanted to ask anybody who notices inconsistencies to drop me a note, either in review form or email form, because I seem to have lost my original log of the places, their respective locations and the distances between them, and what happend in them. Thanks!_

_The next part will have to wait until mid-January, I think, because I've got to do a whole pile of notes (several dozen pages) for this holiday workshop. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone, and thanks for your support... it's almost been a year!_

_If anyone wants alerts in the future, drop a note in a review. I'll also send out notices if I can't write for any prolonged period of time, ie. a month or more._

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	20. Miracles

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and I hope they keep coming!_

_hikari hime__: Yeah, all the main characters will be paired up, but I won't reveal the ones that aren't already obvious (eg. 3+4). One, I like leaving people in suspense, and two... it would simply work better story-wise if nobody expected any particular pairing. After all, the characters didn't expect romance themselves either!! *grin* Thanks for reviewing!_

_Stephanie Yuy__: It's slightly more than a month, and I'm really, really, really sorry... I went away to this holiday island for a while in mid-January, then school started, and I haven't had a free night since then. Too much homework... argh, senior high really will kill me. Anyway, chappie out now, so enjoy!_

_Mariel Yuy__: Hi! Bocherik is mentioned in Ch. 5 - there's a bit of background there about him. And I'm soo glad that you think I write Wufei properly! He is one of my favourite characters, though not my *very* favourite, so I'm glad he wasn't OOC. By the way, the song was 'I Turn to You' by Christina Aguilera. I deleted the footnote by accident - gomen. Thanks for testing the link, and I'll email you again... I'll just have to remember what I wrote originally (when your account was stuffed) because I deleted my sent messages some time ago. Ja!_

_beckboo__: Thanks a lot! Compliments mean a lot to me, so I'm glad you reviewed!_

_Shadowofdragons__: Hi again! The next chapter is out now, so keep on reading and thanks for reviewing!_

_Emcron__: There aren't as many GW writers these days, actually - that's my opinion, at least. I'm glad you like my story, though, and I'm glad you liked the Quatre/Trowa bit! BTW, does your songfic have a name yet? I'd look for it if it did._

_Night Goddess__: Hehe... the chapter is out now! And though this part isn't a cliffhanger, the action is still out there somewhere, so you'll have to keep reading! *grin*_

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**Part XX: Miracles**

Heero chewed mechanically, his expression carefully neutral as he mulled over his cousin's behaviour. In truth, he could not understand why Duo reacted so strongly; he felt as though he _should_ understand, but he simply did not. It irritated him. People often became emotional about inconsequential things, and Heero accepted this, but Duo possessed a good sense of responsibility, hidden though it usually was. Why would he see a chamber of artwork as being more important than a meeting?

Even more confusing was the remark about friendship. The conversation had been simple, at first, but Duo had suddenly started talking about trust and other more profound issues, and stranger still, nobody but Heero seemed to notice the change of topic. Once again, Heero was frustrated by the feeling that he _should_ understand something, but did not. Moreover, it was disturbing, and affected his concentration.

Sensing several glares upon him, the Mage looked up, just in time to see the door open and admit a figure. Then, a well-remembered voice called his name, and he heard his own voice exclaim, "Relena?!" The figure's eyes opened wide, then lurched forward in a dead faint.

Heero half-rose, making to go to her, but Trowa had been both quicker and nearer. Father Maxwell hurried over, took in the pale cheeks and the circles under the closed eyes, and murmured, "She looks well exhausted. I'll take her into one of the rooms." Glancing up, he asked, "Do you know her?"

Zechs nodded. "She is from our hometown." Turning to Quatre, he said, "Would you follow Father Maxwell? There may be something you can do for her."

Laying down her spoon, Sally offered, "I have some herbal remedies with me; if they can be of use, maybe neither of us will have to Heal her."

The prince responded, "Thank you. That would be much appreciated." With his words, the four disappeared into the corridor.

When they had left, Suri faced Heero. "You will go and see her when she wakes up, won't you?"

The Mage frowned; he had had enough of puzzling comments from his companions for today. Bluntly, he demanded, "Why?"

Suri looked mildly exasperated. "She's upset about her parents' deaths, and anybody can see that. Since she seems to care the most about you, shouldn't you be the one to offer her a comforting word or two?"

Heero's frown deepened. "The depression is her own. It doesn't affect me and it doesn't affect our mission."

Zech's lips thinned and he opened his mouth to speak, but Suri forestalled him with a slight shake of her head. Turning back to Heero, she asked simply, "What exactly is our mission, Heero?"

The Mage stared; surely this was a rhetorical question. However, she seemed to be waiting for his reply, so Heero said, "To avenge Sanq, of course. To restore peace there, and to protect it."

Suri's gaze flickered towards the prince, whose eyes widened in sudden understanding. Shaking his head, Zechs murmured quietly, "Sanq isn't an object, my friend - it is a nation made up of many, many individuals. And it isn't the land of Sanq we are trying to protect or avenge, because structures can always be rebuilt, and wealth can always be reestablished. We are trying to protect Sanq's people, without whom there would be no Sanq." He glanced at Heero to make sure he was listening. "Relena is one of these individuals too, Heero. If there is anything we can do to help her, we should so it."

For a long moment, Heero sat in deep thought, his brows furrowed and his cobalt eyes turned inward. Across the table, Wufei had stopped eating and was sitting absolutely still, his expression more openly contemplative but no more revealing than Heero's. Suri could feel something of his inner turmoil, and his withdrawal into himself, but she had no idea how to help. There was simply too much about his clan's teachings that she did not know. Finally, the Mage stated, "You say I should talk to her."

Focusing on the conversation once more, Suri nodded. "Talk to her, hold her hand... it might make you uncomfortable, I know, but treat is as part of the mission if that makes it easier." She looked at him earnestly. "She's been through a lot, you know. Unlike the rest of you, I don't think she was taught that death is always a possibility. If she hasn't encountered death or hardship before, this must be a shock."

Heero glanced at her. "You manage."

She smiled slightly, but shook her head. "I wasn't pampered in the courts either. You get used to death pretty quickly when you live on the streets." For an instant, the grin dimmed, but it quickly refuelled itself. "Don't worry about talking much, Heero. From the way she called your name, a smile from you would probably do more good than all the herbs Sally can find."

There was a silence. "... a smile?"

She gazed into his eyes and said almost gently, "Surely you remember how?"

Hero remained silent. _Do I? Of course, but..._ He looked at the girl, who was still studying him calmly. _Doesn't she understand? I stopped smiling when I..._ The Mage shoved the thought from his mind. He'd curve his lips - hell, he'd do more than curve his lips - if it would bring an end to this conversation.

Just then, the Father returned, accompanied by Trowa, Sally and Quatre, who raised his eyebrows slightly at the tension but told them brightly, "She's exhausted, but aside from that, she'll be fine. Since she probably hasn't eaten for more than a day, she will wake soon; we couldn't get more than water down her throat."

Suri glanced at Heero, then, and something in her eyes made him decidedly uncomfortable. They were like Quatre's, full of some sort of compassion that would surely have led to much unnecessary pain and hurt, but which both the girl and the Healer seemed to have survived through. Heero stood abruptly. "I desire to see her. Would you tell he where her room is?"

Looking even more surprised but wisely making no comment, Quatre said, "Go down the corridor, turn left into the first hallway you come across and you'll find her in the fourth room to the right." He grinned at Father Maxwell. "I never realised this complex was so large, though."

The comment and the priest's reply gave Heero time to exit, but as he reached the exit, he felt a soft mental tap and turned to see a smile of approval from Suri. Strangely, it made him feel better; in fact, when he thought about it, so did Quatre's and even Duo's. _Maybe smiles do have some sort of power. But I don't like smiling - it makes me vulnerable. Why on earth do they do it so often?_

Heero's questions remained unanswered as he disappeared into the corridor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pair walked on, and before long, they arrived at a door. On it hung a wooden plate bearing the word 'Eranos'. Sister Helen brushed the letters with a gentle fingertip and blew lightly, sending a cloud of dust into the air. "_Eranos_ means 'reflection' in the old tongue. This used to be a prayer room, but since there are no candle holders for candles at night, one of the other chambers is more frequently used." With these words, she turned the metal knob and the door creaked open.

Duo stepped forward and inhaled deeply, violet eyes widening in awe. The sister moved to stand beside him. "It is beautiful, is it not?"

The youth nodded slowly, venturing forward into the centre. Rays from the setting sun poured through the stained glass covering the domed ceiling, and bathed the area in every shade of colour imaginable. Rose-tinted tiles decorated the floor, and cream-coloured variations were spread over the walls. These walls were filled with the paintings that the priest mentioned, but what caught Duo's attention was the statue at the end of the chamber. Made with an almost translucent material of pure white, it was probably the simplest object in the room, and yet to him, it seemed the most deserving of attention.

"The Goddess," he breathed.

"Yes. She forms a corner of the prayer diamond. Those pillars make up the other corners."

Indeed, now that Sister Helen mentioned it, he could see the formation; in fact, he ought to have noticed sooner. Moving closer to study the pillars, which were also made of the translucent material, he saw that the first was carved to depict the Goddess in her youth; it was an image of beauty, of growth. At its foot, the pillar bore a single word: 'Isydril'. The next pillar, etched with the image of a warrioress of courage and honour, showed the word 'Zolte'. The last, with the fewest carvings, portrayed the goddess as the mother of wisdom and love, 'Harnola'. Between the pillars, runes formed the edges of the diamond, and closer inspection revealed that they detailed each of the three states of the Goddess and the celebrations that accompanied her transitions.

"I can see why Father Maxwell loved this place."

Sister Helen studied him thoughtfully. "You asked to see this chamber partially because of him, did you not?"

Duo spun around, startled. "How did you know?"

"I recognise kindness when I see it, young man." The sister smiled, her face gentle and almost ethereal as varying arrays of colours danced over it. 

For a moment, the youth looked sheepish, then he shook his head. "It wasn't entirely because of him, though; I'm interested in art myself, and I'm glad I did see this. But he was an artist once, wasn't he?"

Sounding surprised, the nun replied, "Yes, in fact, he was. Long ago - several decades, in fact - he travelled around Sanq doing commissions, but on one occasion, he was asked to do a scene based on the slums of Irazad. When he saw the conditions there, he was shocked, and because they continued to plague him long afterwards, he became a missionary. Then, he travelled around Sanq for some time before settling here in retirement." Cocking her head, Sister Helen queried, "How did you know?"

"I'm not altogether sure... call it instinct, if you like, but I'm quite good at reading smiles, even genuine ones." The braided boy paused. "He sounded... wistful. You know what I mean?"

The sister considered his words. "Yes... yes, I think I do. It was observant of you; I never really noticed, even after all this time with him."

Duo quirked his lip wryly. "Observant is a nice way of putting it."

There was a silence. Sister Helen spent a few seconds studying the youth before her, turning some thoughts over in her mind. Something in the phrasing of that last remark reminded her of... something. Then, it clicked - though the tone had been neutral, Duo's expression had borne the slightest hint of irony, which meant that someone else had probably made a less positive comment about a similar matter. While she usually respected other people's privacy, her sixth sense told her that there was something she ought to do here, so this time, Helen decided to follow her heart. "Has your friend upset you?"

Sure enough Duo's violet eyes turned guarded, though the smile still appeared as natural as it had been. "No, of course not. He's... a blunt guy. Has been for quite a while, so I'm used to it."

She did not wish to press him, not yet, so she changed tactics. "You've known each other for a long time?"

"Since birth - he's my cousin. Ther other guys too. I mean, they're not cousins, but we've known each other since forever. Suri's different; we met her some years ago."

For a reason Helen did not understand, his expression had shifted slightly at the mention of the girl's name. "You do not get along with Suri?"

Duo looked shocked. "Hell, no! Oh, I mean... your pardon, Sister. But no, she's one of the best friends I have. Why?"

She chose her words carefully this time. "I'm sorry. You simply looked unhappy when you mentioned meeting her."

His face relaxed somewhat and he regarded her intently for a few moments. Then, he turned away. "I know what you're trying to do, Sister... I've done it to dozens of others before. But I appreciate it all the same." Shifting, he continued, "But I think the others are waiting, so should we head back?"

Helen was rather taken aback at his bluntness, but she quickly recovered. _No, young man... I know I can help, so I will. You won't get away so easily._ "Very well. Would you join me in a prayer, first?"

Her words had the intended effect; his voice was surprised when he answered, "Uh, sure."

They knelt before the statue and she began the traditional opening words. "Hail to the Goddess; may you bless the earth and hold it ever in your care. May the maiden Isydril bring growth, the warrioress Zolte courage and the mother Harnola wisdom and grace." There she paused, then continued, "Let the care and support of loved ones strengthen and empower us in times of hardship. Help us to overcome our differences, and through them learn to understand and appreciate each other. May we learn to trust and keep faith in them, and they in us. Bless our frienships, and may they ever be a source of joy. Hail Goddess, hear our prayer." She clasped her hands in the sign of the Goddess.

When she looked up, Duo wore a strange expression on his face. "You don't give up easily, do you, Sister?"

Smiling, she answered, "No, I don't suppose I do. Would you like to sit down?"

The wry grin flashed once more, but this time, it was tinged more with some amusement. Shrugging, he sat, remarking, "Might as well, since you seem intent on having this conversation." In spite of the light words, there was a touch of uncertainty when he continued, "But Sister... don't push me, alright?" He met her eyes squarely. "There are some things I won't talk about."

Helen nodded readily. "I don't wish to push anybody, Duo... but my instincts rarely prove me wrong, and they are screaming at me to do something. Would you tell me about Suri, then? And what caused your reaction when you mentioned her?"

The violet eyes fixed on some picture on the wall. "It was two... no, almost three years ago, now. Heero was at his Master Elementalist examination when Zechs brought her into the stadium - he discovered her because she burnt a man on the streets. But the exam went wrong... Anokiv Ronterdo of Oz disrupted it by uprooting some Elemental energy, and at the end, Heero's gift had to be terminated because the rogue power was directed at him." He sighed, softly. "That's why it's depressing to think about... I love Suri like a sister, but Heero had been like a brother too."

Helen looked at him, her eyes sympathetic. "I'm guessing that he changed, right?"

"Uh huh. Became colder, more focused on building up other powers for revenge... he sort of cut himself off, if you know what I mean." Another sigh, sadder this time. "I miss him."

She gave him some moments, then said softly, "Sometimes, healing takes a long time, Duo. I know what it's like." When he looked up in surprise, Helen told him, "I met Father Maxwell in Irazad, Duo."

Slowly, realization dawned, making Duo's eyes widen. "You were an _ijadi_, weren't you?" He used the slang for street orphan; Suri had taught him, because although she had not lived on the streets themselves, she had lived close enough to them to understand the life there.

She nodded. "I was orphaned at an early age; I don't really remember when. For several years, I roamed the streets, begging sometimes and stealing in others. Then, one of the gangs picked me up, and things changed; in some ways, having companions was safer, but it also meant larger operations, more contrived 'performances' for receptive audiences and many, many more fights with rival gangs. I did not need to sleep with an eye open any more, but I couldn't trust anyone either." She paused, then smiled slightly at him. "I broke into Father... or Mister Maxwell's way-house."

He stared at her, then asked slowly. "And you were the one who made the big impression on him, weren't you? The one who changed his mind?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Certainly he had never realised what it was like to live as an _ijadi_. He came back a year later, and I had changed considerably during that time, but through a mixture of bribery and coaxing, he convinced me to stay with him for one day, then two, then three... at first, I was like a wild beast. At least that is how he desribed me. Animalistic, distrustful, illiterate... I think getting to know me brought him more revelations than visiting Irazad. I, in turn, learnt about what life was like for 'normal' people... it took the better part of the decade, though. There was too much to undo. He had an amazing amount of patience."

Duo stared at her thoughtfully. "So you're saying I should wait and see."

She smiled. "I hadn't intended to be quite so obvious, but yes. If he's hurt, he has to admit the fact to himself before the healing can begin. But the admission can take a long time, and you may go backwards far more often than you go forwards because it is confusing and even frightening at times. At the end, however, I am an optimist; I believe love can work miracles. I'm something of a miracle myself, you see?"

He nodded slowly. Almost to himself, he murmured, "A miracle..." The smile returned once more, this time more brightly. "Thank you, Sister. I think I might just wait, and hope," he changed his smile to a mischievous grin, finishing, "and pray, hey?"

Helen touched his shoulder lightly. "And pray. The Goddess is the giver of miracles, after all. And don't thank me; I'm simply trying to do for others what someone once did for me."

Duo looked at her seriously. "I'll remember that, Sister. I... I'll do something for someone too, someday. I swear I will. But thank you all the same."

And at that moment, Helen felt a great sense of warmth in her heart. _For his sake, I hope a miracle does happen..._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero sat awkwardly on the stool, partially hoping Relena would wake up sooner so he could complete this ordeal, and partially hoping she would not do so while he was there. He had been relieved when Zechs mindspoke to tell him that the meeting would be held in the early morning instead. This... this side-quest was unnerving and unexpected enough; having to miss what could be a crucial meeting would be even worse.

He glanced at the sleeping form, then focused his full attention on the expressions washing across Relena's face. Sometimes, he caught a fleeting sight of shock or confusion or sadness, and at those moments, her body would become tense and a hand would clutch tightly at the covers. Heero watched quietly for some time, noting with some anxiety that instead of subsiding, the discomfort grew. He heard mumbled words now and then, and saw the blankets tangle beneath kicking feet.

He raised a hand to do something, then paused and withdrew it once more. There was something he could have done, and probably should have done - his body knew it, but his mind rebelled. And so he sat for several minutes longer while sweat began to bead Relena's forehead. Slowly, the golden hair became damp, and the incoherencies grew louder and more frequent. He watched warily. Then, as though summoning courage from some inner source, he reached out and touched her shoulder lightly. "Relena."

She did not react to the contact or the words, and continued to murmur and twitch and sweat. After some long moments, he leaned forward and gripped her shoulder more tightly. "Relena, wake up!"

This time, his actions had the desired effect. The movement ceased and blue eyes sprung open, widening even further as they settled on his face. "Heero!" She looked at the hand on her shoulder, which was quickly withdrawn, and whispered, "You're real..."

What could he say to that? Was he supposed to make conversation? Offer condolences? After pondering some options, none of which seemed suitable, he answered simply, "Yes."

For some incomprehensible reason, tears welled in Relena's eyes. Averting her gaze to her surroundings, she blushed suddenly. "Ah... I made a dramatic entrance, didn't I?" Then, the sheepish smile faded and she turned back to Heero, asking quietly, "Did you... need me for something?"

This was unlike the girl he knew, and though it disturbed him, Heero was inwardly relieved. The constant high-pitched utterances of his name had gotten on his nerves, and this mission would be considerably easier if they could communicate civilly. In fact, he could probably even offer her the truth; it would certainly be more believable than any reason he could invent. "No. I came to see you."

She stared at him in some amazement, then suddenly slid off the bed and flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. He winced, though she did not notice it. In fact, she was now shaking against him, choking out amid her sobs, "Oh Heero... I knew you'd be there for me..."

Heero looked at her in amazement. When she showed no sign of moving away, he searched desparately for a diversionary tactic. But then, unbidden, came a voice that whispered, _talk to her, hold her hand... _and this time, instead of making him uneasy, the words helped him relax; he actually understood what to do. Perhaps it was because the initial discomfort was already over, but although the contact still disturbed him, holding her did not seem as impossible as it once had. It took two failed attempts, but the third time, he managed to settle an arm around her waist. Relena clung on tighter.

Some time later, however, the chokes dwindled slowly into slight hiccups and soon disappeared altogether. She shifted and he stepped away so quickly that she stumbled before sitting back on the bed. _Damn_, he swore inwardly, but she gave him a shaky smile. "I'm sorry... and thanks for not pushing me away."

"Uh... you're welcome, Relena." He stood stiffly, uncomfortably; the contact was over. Now what was he supposed to do? _Talk to her..._ "I'm sorry for your loss."

There as a soft 'oh', and something akin to understanding flashed in Relena's eyes. "So you know." There was a sigh, and a lone tear rolled down her cheek. Hesiyatingly, Heero reached over and brushed it away. That made her look up again, this time questioningly. "Is... is that why you're being so nice?"

"Uh..." Yes, that was one of the reasons, among others; Suri's words were another. A third - one that he was only beginning to realise - was that she had survived. She, out of the hundreds of people he had grown up with, had survived the massacre, and furthermore, some of her naivety and innocence remained. She had not yet been stained with blood. And a part of him wanted to protect that innocence, to see that it remained in the world... and so, he curved his lips and smiled at her. He would not explain his reasoning, but he could smile, and Suri had taught him that a smile could work miracles.

To his surprise, Relena began smiling back, and for several moments, they smiled at each other while they wracked their brains for something intelligent to say. Finally, she told him, "Whatever your reasons were, I thank you again."

"That's okay." It was his turn to speak again. "I should go."

"No, wait." Her voice stopped him, and he pivoted to face her. "Um... why are you here? In the cloister?" Seeing his expression close over, she said quietly, "I want to know, Heero. As much as you can tell me. When did my parents die? How? Why was I not contacted? And why are you here?"

The barrage of questions, though stated courteously, still demanded an answer. He hid a sigh. "On Zolte, during the celebrations, the palace was struck by Oz. Your parents were killed. So were mine, and so were their Majesties. We did not know you were alive." He paused, then, deeming more descriptive details unnecessary, continued, "This is the road to Oz, so we are travelling on it." Then, something struck him. "Milliardo is to be called Zechs Merquise. And if you tell anybody who we really are, I will kill you."

She blinked slowly as the information sunk in; theoretically, she was supposed to have been prepared for this sort of incident, but for the past few days, she had been in a daze. Emotions had overtaken her, and she barely remembered what happend after she ran off, but now, thoughts of the murders gave her a sick feeling, so she turned her thoughts to the last sentence and smiled wanly. "I won't. This time, you might really do it; you're on the run, aren't you? Because you were meant to be killed too?"

He was rather taken aback at the astute - and accurate - conclusion. There seemed no point in denying it so he nodded. "Yes."

"I see." She gazed at him, taking in the weapons on his body for what was probably the first time. Then, her eyes widened. "You are planning revenge... by yourselves?"

"We have... aid."

"Still..." She frowned slightly. "This might lead to war, mightn't it? And more deaths?"

He considered. "Maybe so."

"Can nothing else be done?"

The question surprised him; it seemed that he was to be surprised often, today. He would have thought she wished for revenge too. "Do you not want vengeance for the slaughter?"

Relena thought for a while, then shrugged. "Yes and no. Some part of me wishes for the instigators to die, of course... but I don't want anyone to end up like me. And if nobody kills, no more deaths will happen, and there will be no unnecessary pain or loneliness. If nobody desires to kill one another, there will be peace... and if there's one thing I want at the present, aside from my parents, that would be it."

He was silent for a moment, then almost against his will, commented, "You have changed."

She smiled slightly. "So have you, Heero. I like you better now; you should smile more. It makes you more approachable. Thanks for taking the time to talk."

Heero nodded in acknowledgement, accepting thanks for a third time, and because she did not seem to wish to question him further, he said. "See you later."

"I hope so, Heero. Take care."

He nodded once more and stepped out of the room. For some reason, his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_Yes, I know the action still hasn't coming up, but the Helen-Duo relationship is important to me, and I don't see it done too often. I've looked at the scans of Episode Zero, and appreciate that my version of Helen treats Duo differently, but since Duo is some ten years older here and is not a needy orphan, I'm assuming she will have to act differently. But those who have been keeping track of the story know that something is going to happen at the cloister, so keep an eye out for the next chapter - and it will speed up, I swear!_

_If anyone wants alerts in the future, drop a note in a review. I'll also send out notices if I can't write for any prolonged period of time, ie. a month or more._

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	21. Jigsaw

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and I hope they keep coming!_

_Chara__: Yummy!! Thanks soo much! *offers some to Duo* He can have some too, since I don't want to get too fat. :) Thanks again!_

_Mariel Yuy__: Hey, just wanted you to know, I tried sending Ch. 2 to you but it didn't work. Do you have space in your inbox? I'll try again later. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the last chappie and I hope you like this one as much!_

_hikari hime__: I know! I reckon teachers don't know any other subjects exist but their own ones. They *all* give enough for eight subjects put together! But you're an exchange student? That sounds cool. What's it like?_

_beckboo__: Hehe... well, he doesn't seem to smile all that much, does he? And assuming people smile when they're happy, and assuming that he's not often happy, it kinda makes sense. Mission: Make Heero Smile!! :)_

_megster__: Thanks a lot!! I'm really glad you enjoy it, though I'm sorry that you don't like Quatre and Trowa. The story isn't going to revolve around their romance, though, don't worry about that. It's more like they'll be there for each other. There's a lot more plot, dialogue and battle in this bit, so I hope you like it!_

_heather__: Hi! Well, I actually have started another one, one that is even more complex than this one, but I'm not sure I will upload any of it. Finishing Roeplay will take forever already. Finishing another one will keep me in front of thus computer until I'm thirty!_

  
  


**Part XXI: Jigsaw**

"Good morning, Wufei."

The Asian had registered the presence before it spoke, so his about-turn was unhurried and his slight bow graceful. "Good morning."

When he made no sign of continuing with the exercises, Sally moved closer. "Am I interrupting?"

Brushing a bead of sweat from his bow, Wufei shook his head. "No, I was finishing up." He retrieved his white robe from where it was slung across an overhanging branch. "Did you need me for something?" She made a negating sound but did not elaborate. After a moment, he gave a small sigh and pressed, "It is rather early for a morning stroll."

Sally smiled and shrugged carelessly. "Who knows? Mt Sera has a nice view - I might be someone who likes the sunrise." Rays of red and gold glinted off her hair and her twinkling eyes, but she made no move to explain. Wufei's lips twiched slightly in exasperation. Finally, Sally grinned and said, "If you really wish to know, I was taking a breath of fresh air before going to the meeting. The one your friend invited me to. "

"Zechs?" He frowned. "Why?"

"I offered to help in whatever ways I could, and he accepted."

The frown deepened. "But you..." She raised an eyebrow at him, so he finished, "You are a female, and a Healer. People like you should not be fighting!" _[1]_

"By whose decree?" He did not reply and she grew serious, both in expression and in tone. "Wufei, I may not be strong, but I believe I can make a difference. Either way, I have to try."

He hesitated. "Sally, it is possible that they slaughtered your entire clan. Why fight an enemy you don't stand a chance against?"

"Because it's a fight that I must take on!"

"Why? Nobody ordered you to fight them."

"No, I'm fighting because that's what I've decided on! I've had enough of people who slaughter in cold blood - Wufei, even if they did not murder my people, other such killers did. Could you stand by and let them run free?"

Wufei stilled, then after some moments, he turned away. Almost to himself, he murmured, "I don't know..."

Seeing the turmoil etched onto his features, Sally's pose softened. "Wufei, why did _you_ fight?"

He was silent for a while. "Oz... they killed my wife, and slaughtered hundred more. It was my duty to avenge them."

She nodded. "So is it not my duty to fight and thus, in principle, avenge my own people?"

Wufei shifted to face her once more. "You are too weak to fight. So am I. I'm a coward. I don't have the right to fight." His hands dropped to his side and he bowed his head.

Slowly, she shook her head. "I don't see how you could ever call yourself a coward."

He glanced at her and sighed once more. "I am one because I lost. To one stronger than me. I'm a coward who can only win against those weaker than myself!"

"Is that why you're giving up?" Sally demanded. "Weren't you fighting to avenge your wife? Your people? To win back peace?" He did not reply. "You know, Wufei, you may be right. I am weak. We all are, by ourselves. That's why people join and fight together. To overcome that weakness. The same way you did."

He still said nothing, and finally, it was her turn to sigh. "Very well, then, Wufei. If that's what you believe. You promised Zechs you would stay and help the cause. Ask for permission to come with me. I will take you to the Tiger clan. You can seek support from them. That way, you will not have to fight actively."

This time, Wufei looked up, his surprise evident. He did not have time to answer, however, because at that moment, Quatre and Trowa approached and wished them good morning. They were looking refreshed; it seemed that they, too, had been exercising in the cool morning air. As they entered the building and headed towards the meeting room, Sally did not bring up the topic again, and Wufei was left to ponder over their conversation in private.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good morning," he called cheerfully.

The Mage looked up. Normally, he would only nod, but he suddenly recalled the events of the previous day. Awkwardly, Heero muttered, "Morning."

Grinning at him, Duo remarked, "You're up early." If he was surprised at the unexpected reply, there was no sign of it.

"Hn." Heero knew that Duo knew what was going on, but since he seemed intent on making conversation, the Mage felt obliged to remain civil. "Meeting."

"Hmm..." The braided boy stretched, covering a yawn. "I wonder if we will leave directly after it?"

Heero stood. "Probably. Why?"

Duo hesitated slightly. "I'd like to see Siter Helen again. And Father Maxwell. To thank them."

Broken sentences were unlike his cousin. Heero hid a frown and repeated, "Why?"

Duo's expression bore a hint of defensiveness. "Why not? They were nicer to us than they needed to be." A pause. "Besides, I like them. They're nice people."

"You cannot have attained an accurate understanding of them within such a short time," Heero stated. Privately, he felt confused; why would 'nice' matter anyway? Duo had barely spoken to them. "And Zechs will thank them for us."

The braided youth stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Heero, thanks aren't necessarily a ritual. I say 'thank you' when I'm grateful for something, not just because it's polite."

Heero considered that. Then, slightly curious, he asked, "What are you grateful for?"

A silence. Then, quietly, "Friendship."

The Mage frowned once more. "You cannot form bonds of friendship within such a short period of time, Duo."

This time, the frown was reciprocated. "I can too! What the hell do you think friendship is, cousin-mine?" Heero did not reply. "Well, I'll tell you. It's caring about someone. Being able to enjoy yourself with them. Knowing that they accept you with no strings attached. It's about trust, and loyalty, and understanding, and... oh hell, Heero, it's all about love. You get that?"

The Mage still said nothing. Finally, Duo finished more softly, "Father Maxwell and Sister Helen may simply be conveniences to you, Heero, but they're people too. And all people have their own stories, their own feelings, and their own gift for the world, whatever it may be. Theirs... theirs is love. They try and make the world a better place. And the least I can is love them in return."

The violet eyes were sad, and the sparkle within them had dimmed. Duo seemed to be recalling something, but Heero could not tell what it was. Indeed, he was not trying to; his cousin's words had echoed and brought back similar ones from the previous day. Words about people, and the importance of each person to the world... and about the power of a single smile. For some reason, he could not forget the soft smile on Suri's face when he agreed to visit Relena. It was strangely reminiscent of other smiles he often saw - from Duo and Quatre, from some of the others... and, once upon a time, from his mother.

_...Heero, always follow your emotions. Follow your heart... let yourself care about others, and let yourself love... That's the only way you'll be happy, my son..._

He blinked.

_...Oh hell, Heero, it's all about love..._

After an eternity, Heero looked up again; his head had been bowed, and his eyes felt unusually heavy. Duo was staring at him. He swallowed. "Let us go. We will be late."

Without a word, Duo nodded and followed him into the building, then through long corridors towards the room situated at the opposite end of the cloister. Zechs had given them the directions earlier. It took quite a while, for their pace was unhurried, and the awkward silence was punctuated only by the sounds of footfalls upon bare rock. Finally, they reached their destination. The others had already arrived, so, without looking at each other, they took their respective places and Zechs closed the door behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The chamber was ideal; not overly big, and equipped with a sturdy table, sufficient light and most importantly, thick walls. He had studied it when the Father showed it to him for the first time, because although the chamber was situated at the far end of the clositer, it was always better to be secure than to have any cause for future regrets.

The cousins had just entered and were busy avoiding each others' eyes. It could have been awkward, but he had arranged the seats so that they were at diagonals to each other because of the previous day's incident, so the discomfort was masked somewhat. Suri sat next to Heero, and he himself sat next to Duo. Sally was seated beside Wufei because she had made his acquaintance before making theirs. Inwardly, Zechs was relieved when Wufei walked in with the female Healer; he had been concerned that the arrangement would make the Asian youth uncomfortable.

"Well," he said after they had greeted each other, "good morning to you all, and thank you for coming at such an early hour. Several things have occurred to me during the past few days, some of which I would like to clarify. They centre around certain events that I have either heard of, or experienced firsthand."

Was he being too formal? Perhaps he was; the orderliness was making him lapse into the speech patterns he had known since birth. His companions did not seem bothered, however, so he continued, "I'll describe them briefly, as best as I can and in an order that appears chronological. The most recent of the events include a series of slaughters that occurred in cities along the larger towns along the northern route."

"Sahkron, Yvanole and Zhahilvar are north from Sanq's capital, while Lymont is to the south. Three of them we have passed. In the first two, which are stronger economically, all the townspeople were held by coercion, while at the same time, the soldiers were shielded. In Zhahalivar, the soldiers were clad in Oz colours. Both events occurred in areas where Magical energy ran thin - all the larger towns except the capital are situated in such locations because they were established in an era when power ran amok from their sources. There should not have been enough power to do anything near what they did."

"Don't forget that there was only one Mage at those times," Suri added. "Even if that much power was available, there is only so much a Mage can control at once, right?"

The question appeared to be directed at Heero, and the Mage nodded. When he did not elaborate, Duo remarked thoughtfully, "We kinda discussed this before, a few times, but I'll say it again - why would they do it? Oz would not want dead cities, or even worse, rebellious ones."

Zechs nodded. "I have a theory on that, but for the moment, I'll simply add one other confusing aspect of it. We discussed this also - do you remember how nobody in Zhahalivar knew what happened at the palace, even after two days? The distance between the two can be covered by a fast horse in a matter of hours. We had several hypotheses on that. One was that a decent sized army was sent to capture all the people travelling to and from the palace, and that shields were erected to stop Telepaths from relaying messages. The power needed would have been enormous, but that does not seem to be a problem for them. Still, it seemed rather improbable."

"Another possibility that occurred to us later was that anyone who wanted to or planned to travel to and from the capital received a little 'nudge' from a coercer. That is possible, and is certainly less taxing on resources. But either way, the question stands. *Why*?"

"They desperately needed the two days, perhaps?" Rashid suggested.

"That occurred to me," admitted the prince. "It seems like the only logical one. But it has bad implications. We have not heard of any major happenings in the palace, though we kept an ear open at all times. That means that the time was needed for some hidden purpose."

Trowa cleared his throat lightly. "It was probably related to the conquest of the capital. Having two days to secure power would have made a significant difference if any rebellions occurred."

"But why, then, would they attack the towns?" Quatre thumbed his tunic. "I suspect that it would be part of the reason, but not the entire one. Temporary prevention of rebellions would not have been worth the expenditure in energy."

Zechs nodded to himself; the discussion was raising some interesting points, which was partially the aim of this meeting. "Let us stop, though, and go back even further. The massacre on Zolte did, at least, seem reasonable, but again, from whence did the energy come? To operate on so many fronts, and yet disappear without trace, only to seize the palace early the next morning. How was that possible?"

Nobody commented aloud, though all seemed to be considering his points. At least, Zechs hoped they were; he was trying to fit together an incomplete jigsaw in a way that - he hoped - would allow them to see what he realised the previous day. Some tenuous links that explained certain events but raised many more questions that would need to be answered...

"Now, going back some more months, Sally's clan was attacked. It would be a year ago, now?" Sally nodded, so he continued, "A large amount of power was used to shield against the powerful anti-Healing energies, and yet, at the end, the killers could still teleport away. Keep in mind that this violence was used against a peaceful, neutral Hearer clan, one which abhored all killing. Once more, the questions stand - how, and why?"

"Then, even further back, almost three years ago by now, a heavily shielded area in Sanq's capital was broken into. An Elementalist with astonishing potential -" did he see Heero turn away? "- was undertaking an exam there, and his channels were open. Elemental energy targetted those channels. The Elemental Adepts discovered that the elemental channels had been uprooted, and that they only attacked strong, unguarded energy channels. Research led back to Anokiv Ronterdo, whose father, Oz's chief Mage Bocherik Ronterdo, had a grudge against Sanq."

Zechs paused then, and glanced at the Mage. His friend was stoically staring ahead, his face bearing no hint of emotional reaction to the painful events recounted. He sighed inwardly. _Forgive me, Heero..._ He had no words, and knew none of the others did either. So he did the only thing he could do; he raised his voice and spoke again.

"You may wonder where all this is headed. I will now ask a for the retelling of a story I heard only two days ago, from Rashid, the leader of the Maguanacs." He gave the mercenary a courteous nod. "At the end, perhaps you will understand where I am drawing this discussion."

The man coughed slightly. "Well. You probably knew of the Maguanacs long before you met any of us; we had a reputation as being deadly, ruthless and well... good mercenaries, to boot. Ready and willing to do anything if the price was right, but honouring all contracts and codes of the mercenary trade. Our price was high, and we were all devoted killers. None of us have family or even friends outside our band."

"Yet we had not always been so. Half a decade ago, we were all simple men, Tribesmen from the eastern deserts. We lived simply, in small villages, and spent our days herding and hunting and generally living happily. We were all strong, though, and had long mastered long-distance running, hunting, climbing and coordinated fighting. See, we were on the outskirts of Sanq, and over the years, as the cities expanded, we had shifted further and further away until we were outside the borders of the country itself."

"No patrols guarded our villages from the eldebeasts, and they came in large packs, and frequently - hondrelaks and kyleir in warmer months, and gothnarks, rattlers and joraep in others. All the villages had strong bands of trained, fighting men. I belong to the Ryhon, the easternmost village, and the strongest of them because we were the furthest from Sanq."

"One day, during council, a jargnu - a messenger bird - brought us a message from Andok. They had been raided, their women and children taken and their men killed. The message came from a _narur_ boy, one who tended the animals. He had not been present during the attack. The next day, similar tidings came from other villages. The attacks seemed to happen first to those who lived near the city, then progressed further and further away within days. By the third dawn, we had heard from almost half the villages, and all the messages bore the red handprint telling us that assistance would be useless."

"We became worried, and split our forces; one half remained as guards, while the other half, me included, left to join with another village in hope that a combined force would fare better. It was a half-day away. By the time we arrived, it, too was gone. We returned. It was too late. Our village had also been razed. Nobody knew we had left, so we changed our appearances and formed a mercenary front. We would put ourselves up for hire. At the same time, we sought information on the attacks that had been so strong, so well-coordinated and so utterly secret."

Rashid sighed then, and drew to a close. "It's been five years. And we're no closer than ever we were. Unless what Zechs suggests is true."

There was a silence when he finished, and Zechs sat, observing their reactions and giving Rashid a respectful nod. The man bowed his head in response. Finally, Hilde, who had been quiet until that point, murmured, "If the incidents are indeed linked, a great many questions will be answered."

He glanced over; yes, the gypsy leader was shrewd. And his instincts told him that her people knew something else, something which their neutrality contracts prevented them from revealing. Zechs waited another moment, then Suri spoke up. "The question of motivation, at least, would have something of an answer."

Sally frowned. "Would power really be enough of a motivation for such acts?"

"It is more of an elimination of power within Sanq, ian't it?" Duo dug his knuckles into the tabletop. "The Tribesmen's fighting prowess, Sally's clan's Healing and anti-Healing powers, Heero's Elemental potential... so many powers have disappeared within the last couple of years, and we never even noticed."

Quatre looked up and shook his head slowly. "I wish it wasn't true. That would make Oz barbarians, instead of just enemies in war. It... it saddens me, to have to believe that of anybody."

Heero regarded him carefully, his brows furrowed. Then, he also shook his head. "That cannot be the entire reason. The groups Duo mentioned had reason to be eliminated, but there remains no explanation for the city slaughters. Fear cannot be one of them - no sane ruler would want a fearful populace. Economic downturn would be even more irrational."

The Mage turned suddenly and stared at the prince. Zechs returned his stare evenly. Finally, Heero gave a slow nod of understanding. "That's what you are suggesting, isn't it? Oz is *not* behind these attacks." He paused. "Anokiv Ronterdo is."

Zechs waited some moments for the statement to sink in. He could see the gradual realisaion come to each of them, in turn, as they reconsidered everything he described and put them all together. The motivation was hatred. The method was attacks with amazing amounts of power. The means... that was the missing piece in the puzzle.

Finally, Rashid said very, very calmly, "It makes sense. Too much sense for comfort."

Duo nodded. "It doesn't bode well. We have a maniac on the loose, one with way to much power on his hands. One who wouldn't care less if every single person in Sanq is destroyed."

"And," Trowa remarked thoughtfully, "he just happened to be behind all of the attacks except the one on Sanq's capital - that would have been coordinated by King Khushrenada. Does that seem slightly suspicious?"

Suri tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"It would have taken a great deal of power and wealth to make all those attacks, and there will have to be others we have not heard of. The Ronterdos do not have that much power or influence, even if they are the chief Mages in Oz."

Hilde looked at him for a long time, finally saying, "The King is too old. He could be almost redundant. If my peoples' suspicions are correct, then he is even less than that."

"A puppet king." Now, Zechs was alert. This had not occurred to him before. "Do you know for certain that he may be under somebody's control?"

'Almost a decade ago, things began happening to gypsy groups that ventured too close to Oz borders. Some policies in the contracts were changed. Others were removed altogether. The Elders discussed the changes frequently because they seemed strange - King Khushrenada had always fostered good relations with us. That was when we started to suspect."

"An that was when Bocherik appeared on the scene. You're right. It's too much to be coincidence."

"What do you do when your loyalty to your people is different to that to yourself? ... Things can affect one loyalty and not another. And when that happens, you end up treading a path you do not like, but that you are bound to. Duty, too, can become a burden..." Wufei's voice was quiet, contemplative. "Prince Treize Khushrenada told me that. I think I finally understand what he means."

They waited, so he continued, "His duty is to his people, to lead them and protect them. His country and his army is under his command, and he cannot desert either. It is his duty. But he does not feel that it is right."

"So you're saying that Treize does not agree with the orders of his father."

"Yes. But he did not know of the city slaughters, so he must not know what the Ronterdos are doing."

They were all nodding, when suddenly, Rashid frowned and stood abruptly. "There's trouble. Abdul said there's fighting." They were up and moving even as he spoke, and while they hurried through the halls, he continued, "Blue and gold livery, veiled faces... strong shields. Inpenetrable. Ceaseless attacks, both Magical and physical. About forty altogether."

"Shit."

They ran on, twisting here, turning there. Then stopped simultaneously.

"Oh Goddess..."

"Sister Helen!" Duo was the first to break out of the spell and move towards the broken door - the bodies lying beneath it. "Father ... Sister... open your eyes!"

Suri kneeled beside him, reaching over to check their pulses. Wordlessly, she shook her head. The braided boy seemed to crumble before her eyes. "Oh gods..." He ran a trembling hand over their eyelids. "Father, Sister... I'm so sorry..."

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - I'm paraphrasing quite a few ideas from the Wufei-Sally exchanges in episode 12, so if you remember it well, you may recognise some resemblances. They are in a different context, though, and my friend's transcript may not be entirely accurate, so see what you think!_

_There you go, the action has begun. This is the twenty-first chapter... I can barely believe that. But Part II of 'Roleplay' is almost over now. And when it is, Part III will begin... finally!! __Thanks and hugs and kisses to everyone who has stuck with me so far, and in particular, to those who have continued to review - I __live__ on those, so keep them coming!_

_If anyone wants alerts in the future, drop a note in a review. I'll also send out notices if I can't write for any prolonged period of time, ie. a month or more._

  



	22. Sacrifice

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and I hope they keep coming!_

_Chara: Course I love you! You review, and you give me pocky! :) And don't worry, I'll keep writing till the end of this fic. It's too good to drop!_

_Stephanie Yuy: Hehe... there's still several pieces of the puzzle floating around, but they'll fall in place eventually. Glad you liked it, and sors this didn't come out sooner!_

_Emcron: I'm really glad you like Roleplay that much. So glad that I can leap around and jump around for joy, 'xept that this study is tiny and I'll end up crashing into the computer, which won't do anyone any good. Thanks!_

_hikari hime__: Um, next chappie coming up right about now. Exchange sounds cool, even with teachers and the rest of it. Hope you keep having fun!_

_Shadowofdragons: Well here's the next chapter, I'm glad you liked the last one. Hope you enjoy!_

_Mariel Yuy: Hi! I'm sorry for not sending more of RP. I've been revising the early chapters, but hadn't gotten around to 9 and 10, and they were really long ones. Tell me if you need them in a hurry and I'll send you the unrevised versions. Again, I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing!_

¡@

  
  


**Part XXII: Sacrifice **

They stood silently for several moments, then the twang of metal reached their ears. Hilde looked up sharply. Following her gaze, Zechs gave a slight nod and spoke. "We have to get out there."

"I know." Duo's voice was bleak, but he rose briskly, his violet eyes miraculously dry. Suri found herself recalling a bout of depression almost two years ago, when she shut herself in her room and cried herself to sleep. When she did not appear for their nightly gathering, Duo sought her out and gave her a mini-lecture on how she should trust her friends. She asked him whether he would want to cry in front of them. He was quiet for a long time, but his final reply now echoed in her mind - "Boys don't cry, Suri. My brother taught me that." She did not have a response then, nor did she now.

Suri followed her companions as they hurried towards the fighters not too far away. Suddenly, Heero stopped. "Relena."

Zechs halted. "Trowa, Duo, Wufei, Sally, go back in. Scout the area, and either hide or evacuate the people still in there. If there are any injuries, deal with them. I don't want any more deaths on our account." Heero frowned at him, but the prince shook his head curtly. Wufei won't fight, Sally is needed as a Healer and Duo and Trowa are good at stealth. Your skills are required here. He was running onwards even as he thoughtspoke.

In spite of the steady commands, Suri could sense the tension that was hidden beneath Zechs' calm exterior. She could guess at part of it; for one thing, none of them held any doubts that the attacks were somehow caused by their presence, and for another, she knew the prince felt guilty at being too shocked to remember the other people in the building. The rational part of her mind whispered that the attacks were the fault of the attackers, but the voice did not ease her conscience, and it would provide even less relief for her friend.

There. Rashid pointed.

Sure enough, uniformed fighters were locked in physical and Magical combat with the Maguanacs and the gypsies. Suri frowned. There was something disturbing about the precise, calculated movements; each attack was ruthless and totally coordinated with the attacks of their teammates. The accuracy of the attacks exceeded even Heero's and Wufei's, and the fighters seemed to fight as a single being, not a well-trained group of individuals. It reminded her of a choreographed dance she once studied.

Come on. The mercenary glanced at them, and pointed again when they showed no sign of moving.

Wait. Zechs studied the fighters intently. Going in there like this would not work. The Maguanacs and the gypsies number almost sixty, yet they are on par with a band of forty fighters. And look at the formation of the men. It's inflexible, and theoretically too rigid for practical use, but the fighters are always at precisely the right positions at the right times, and none of them seem to have been injured. It is too perfect by human standards."

Heero sent a mental confirmation. They move like one being, 

Gharza. Suri supplied. 'United as one.' It's a dance where all the moves are choreographed so that the troupe looks like a large, dancing creature. 

But the moves of an enemy cannot be predetermined, Heero replied with a slight bite of impatience.

I know. I think... I think they're being controlled. 

Controlled? 

Ah... Quatre stared at the fighters. I understand. Even if the enemy's moves were not pre-planned, a creature with many arms and weapons will fare better than forty men with one set of arms and weapons each. 

But how? 

Does it matter? Rashid's mental voice was tight, almost harsh with urgency. His people were out there; although he and the others were transmitting thoughts, not cumbersome words, the process still wasted valuable time.

Quatre glanced at him, understanding in his aqua eyes. I'm sorry, Rashid, but it does; if we can find the source of control, we can block or destroy it. Going in without understanding it will waste our advantage of surprise. 

The man was silent for a moment. What do you mean by 'control', then? 

Coercion, answered Heero. But willing coercion, by the looks of things. 

Could Anokiv be doing this? Hilde wondered.

The Mage considered. Possibly, but he would need somebody's eyes. 

Not one of the fighters? 

Not distant enough. There would not be enough scope to work from. 

How do you know it's Anokiv, though? Blue and gold are not Oz's standard colours. 

Zechs glanced at Suri, then thought for a moment. Family colours. The Ronterdo coat of arms contains a golden serpent bordered by a blue trim. 

Right. She looked around. So the eye-person has to be on the outskirts of the battle, probably around here. On a high vantage point, perhaps. But I can't sense anything. 

After a moment, Heero shook his head. Nor can I. Neither shields, nor absenses of shields. 

Does it have to be a person? Hilde queried.

...no. It would be possible to enhance an object if the inward flow of Magical energy from the planes is strong enough. He closed his eyes in concentration, before snapping them wide open. There! 

They all turned. He was pointing at a cluster of trees some distance away. When they looked at him in confusion, Heero elaborated, Within the hollow created by the vines, over there. There's a power-stone of some sort, and it is the 'eye'. 

Can it be broken? An affirmative. Then I'll go. I'm the lightest, and trees listen to me. 

Before they could respond, the gypsy girl had already flitted off. They could only watch as she wove through seemingly inpenatrable bushes and headed towards the vital object. Suri felt her heart pounding. Hilde, don't let it see you! 

Perhaps the gypsy was already too focused on her task, because Suri heard no reply. She took a deep breath, whispering a prayer to Zolte. Oh, please let her be alright...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The palace in Rondalez _[1]_ had been built from the finest marble of the land, and had remained unaffected by the passage of time. The floors were still smooth, the stairs unchipped and the pillars tall and proud. _Very much like our court_, Treize mused, _and very much unlike the palace in Sanq._ Oz's neighbouring nation had a palace that both looked and felt vastly different. The halls, made of sandstone, was a light shade of brown, and warmed in sunlight to an almost golden colour. 

_Slightly rougher, perhaps, and not as dignified, but considerably warmer to both physical and emotional senses. _It was a curious comparison, but he seemed to be making more and more of those lately. In fact, strange thoughts had crowded his mind ever since he returned to the Oz capital some two days ago. The Asian youth from Sanq flitted in and out of them, as did his recent experiences, but first and foremost in his thoughts was his father, and their earlier conversation.

_*** Flash ***_

_"Your Majesty," Treize said formally, bowing as required. "And Chief Mage Ronterdo. I trust you are well?"_

_"Yes, yes. I am glad to see you back, my son." The monarch beckoned him closer, smiling. "And even gladder to hear that everything went as planned."_

_"There was no reason why it should not have, your Highness. Have I not assured you of that continuously?" The cultured voice was calm, measured, slightly tinged with a calculated dash of amusement. In fact, had Treize not known Bocherik Ronterdo as well as he did, he would not have seen through the careful smile to the condescension beneath it._

_As it was, Treize merely watched as the king coughed and replied, "Yes, yes, you most surely have, Ronterdo, but it is never the same as receiving news of absolute truth. So tell me, son, it did all run smoothly?"_

_"Yes, Father. All proceeded as you had predicted it would. Everybody was at the celebrations, and most were unarmed. We had no trouble overcoming them."_

_"Good, good. Ah, the Sanq and their Goddess." King Khushrenada took a sip from his goblet. "How could they have known that it would lead to their downfall? All that merrymaking, all those tributes, and all for some imaginary deity. It would have been so much more challenging if they directed their attentions towards practical things." He laid the goblet down, coughing, then took it up again. "Still, there's no good in looking at a gift horse in the mouth, as they used to say." Another sip. "They are under control, yes?"_

_"The ones who are alive are being held captive. There are few of them, though." The prince sharply at the Mage, noting half-consciously that he was now taller than the older man. "Your plan did not allow for many."_

_Bocherik's smile did not reach his eyes. "My prince, you are but young, if you will pardon my saying so. You will learn soon that keeping enemies alive will serve no real purpose, other than to provide problems for the future."_

_He kept his face calm. "And do you suggest killing everybody indiscriminately will not, my lord?"_

_"There are bound to be complications, I admit," came the humbly dignified reply, "but I was merely trying to accommodate for future changes. I did not feel it wise to leave things to chance."_

_"Enough," interrupted the king as another coughing fit wracked his obese body. "Son, we have been through this before. Don't begin arguments over things that have been done; matters require enough thought as things are."_

_"Yes, your Majesty," Treize said, keeping his tone carefully neutral. "I will not bring it up again. How has your health been?"_

_"Ah, just the usual, eh, Ronterdo?" He gave the Mage a smile. "Our Mage has been keeping an eye on me."_

_"It is my duty and my pleasure, your Majesties," came the smooth reply._

_"Nonetheless, I am most grateful for your care in regards to my father's wellbeing, my lord." Treize answered blandly, affording the man with a slight bow. _Two can play at this game, 'my lord'._ He turned back to the king. "Did you have any plans for me, your Majesty?"_

_"Ah, no, I merely wished to hear your report in person, you know how it is." A sip - it was beginning to irritate Treize. "Anyway, Ronterdo assured me most earnestly that you were not 'tied in', as they say. I'm sure Noin and Anokiv can easily handle things in your absence." A small cough, quickly suppressed._

_"Yes, your Majesty." His tone remained self assured. "I shall take a few days to rest, then; after all, I must say that our palace is infinitely more suited for royalty than the Sanq palace." _At least, if the royalty is as distant and indifferent as father is. _"Then I shall return and wrap things up, if it is required. But I presume there is no more need for any killings?"_

_"No, no - it is only the palace that needed dealing with, after all."_

_"Yes." So he had been right; his father knew naught of any city slaughters... no more than he did, at any rate. And he himself knew precious little beyond what the Asian youth revealed. Someone had obviously deemed it unnecessary to 'burden' him with such knowledge, if indeed the knowledge existed. He would have to wait, then. "With your permission, your Highness, I will take my leave."_

_"Yes, yes, you must be tired after hurrying here. Go refresh yourself, and drop in and see me before you leave, eh?"_

_Treize bowed. "Yes, your Highness."_

_*** End Flash ***_

_It would have been better if Bocherik had not made it in time to heal him, ten years ago. I was inexperienced then, it is true, but I had been taught well, and could have learnt. At the least I would not be slowly losing my mind._ His opinions mattered little, though; while his military accomplishments could not be denied by Bocherik or by any other, his competency was seen as limited to the battlefields. His political influence had not increased; sometimes, it seemed as though he was doomed to life as a figurehead.

He sighed, and hid it quickly, nodding slightly at a passing servant before the old man could scrape and bow. With a slightly bewildered look, the servant hurried away. Treize shook his head.

_Don't they see, there is no point in competing with fools, much less unarmed ones._ _I have no objection to conquering Sanq - indeed, I would be the first to agree to it - but not by catching them unaware. Especially not when we had a pact of neutrality with them. We are not yet powerful enough to abandon all treaties, whatever father may think. If all the free peoples rallied behind Sanq - and they have reason to do that, I know - we will most likely be defeated._

But the king seemed to be quite firm in his belief of Oz's invincibility. His actions of late had proved as much; Treize had been downright shocked when news reached him about the murder of gypsy Eldar Ruiore _[2] _and his people. Oh, Bocherik had been quick to tell him that it was an accident, but there had been no effort to reassure the gypsies - at least, not to his knowledge. And if what Treize had guessed from the Sanq soldier was true, the clans might also be mobilising against Oz. And there was only so much that they could do against such unpredictable enemies.

Thinking of the Sanq soldier brought back some of his more confusing remarks about slaughters in the city. That was the main reason why he planned to stay for even a few days; he needed to know whether what the Asian told him was true. But Une could only contact her informants in person; there was too much risk, otherwise. And the informants all held rather important and immovable offices.

Just then, a voice sounded from behind him. "Your Highness."

"Lady Une," he greeted the woman as he turned to face her. Her hair was down, falling past the blue embroideries of her dress. In fact, she looked every inch the noble lady, and was worlds apart from her other role, the ruthless, businesslike Colonel Une. He wondered if she even noticed it sometimes. "You have news for me?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"Excellent." He took her arm and steered her into the rose gardens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They split into two parties with Trowa paired with Duo in the first, and Wufei and Sally in the other. The former pair took the more obvious paths while the latter sought out some of the camouflaged hallways and their occupants. Since evacuation seemed out of the question while fighting persisted outside, Sally gave them directions to an underground storage vault. It was an unspoken consensus that whoever encountered enemy forces would try to eliminate them. Keeping anyone for torture at such a time would simply be too risky.

As they rounded a corner some ten minutes later, Wufei froze. Sally glanced at him. Wordlessly, the youth nodded at the adjoining branch, motioning for her to remain silent. She listened carefully. Sure enough, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the walls. Do we go over? 

...You decide. I cannot fight. He looked away

Sally almost swore at him, but she stopped herself just in time. Very well. Go now, then. Contact Duo and Trowa and tell them to come. 

With that, she retraced her steps quickly. After a split second, she sensed Wufei's presence behind her, and sent without turning, Go, Wufei. Leave while you can. The other part of her, the weaker part, was pleading with him to stay, but Sally quelled it stubbornly. Hurry. 

There was no reply for a moment. Then, as they took an about-turn and entered what appeared to be their original hallway's twin, he muttered, There may be something I can do besides fight. I will come. 

Sally did not respond, though her heart leapt. Before her was a slight curve in the path, hiding them from view, and she backed up against the wall quietly. The noises remained some distance away. They have stopped. 

Yes. He closed his eyes in concentration, listening. There's some struggle... not much. They probably have one prisoner, or more, but are in control. 

Sally bit her lip; this was bad. She had hoped that no innocent people would be drawn into this conflict. Suddenly, someone barked a loud command. It was followed by an exclamation of pain. Suddenly, she could no longer stand by. Wufei, I'm going in. There was no reply, only a shadowing presence, and the consequent relief.

Then, the people came into view. Sally had tried to be stealthy and it paid off; the garbed men, whose backs were turned, paid them no heed. What stopped her, however, was what she could see beyond the men's shoulders - Jorad, an old serving man who had resided at the Cloister for decades. He had, according to Father Maxwell, sought refuge from the pursuit of some creditor, and had decided to remain after his problems were solved. _Oh no._

From the stances of the men, it was obvious that they were holding Jorad captive, and she felt anger well up inside her. At that moment, two things happened - first, Jorad caught sight of her and gasped, and second, the men in blue and gold turned, noticed their presence and attacked. She barely had time to react to their onslaught.

The fight blurred together; she wielded a sharp dagger in one hand, and used the other as a physical aid to her anti-Healing powers. But although the men's shields were not very strong, having to work through five - no, six - shields at the same time was draining. Half-consciously, she felt Wufei slip past her and free Jorad from the simple restraints. _At least he might be safe_. Wufei, run! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was chaos. For an instant, it seemed as though a tremor ran through the enemy fighters; their faces became blank and their eyes glassy. Then, almost as one creature, they turned towards the tree where the 'eye' had been. "Attack!"

Almost as the voice spoke, a single silver arrow materialised from the surrounding trees, striking and deflecting some flying object with a soft 'ping'. A volley of similar arrows followed. Hilde gasped as she ducked low. She recognised the weapons of her people, just as she recognised the fact that the small dart had somehow been aimed directly at her.

_Careless, careless_. She should have guessed that the fighters would respond; by now, there was no doubt in her mind that this was the Seconds, one of Oz's strongest operational teams. What she had not known was that these fighters were loyal to Anokiv Ronterdo._ That bastard keeps ruining things everywhere. And now I've forced Father to show his hand._

That Luoirdo was here also surprised Hilde greatly, though she chose to block the shock for the moment. Yet there was no doubt that her people had fired the arrows either; as sure as the enemies the Seconds, the allies were certainly of gypsy background. And only one gypsy party would be able and willing to rescue her.

Hilde had no idea of the reason behind this sudden change of mind, but all would be revealed in due course, as was the way of her people; it seemed, though, that she had underestimated her father once again. The blatant unreasonableness and stubbornness of the Elder had frustrated her, and was finally what drove her into leaving, but now she doubted what had seemed to be her own decision. The more she thought about it, the more it appeared to be an orchestrated move from someone who knew her all too well.

_But why did he help just then? _a part of her mind wondered. Hilde felt the faintest hint of dread. Luiordo would not have broken neutrality pacts for her, or even for all the people in his charge; the future of all the gypsies was too large a thing to overlook. So that meant the treaties were already broken. 

With a supreme effort, she directed her focus back to the fighting. Some of the gypsies had emerged and joined with 'her' forces, and together with the Maguanacs, they were gaining an advantage - but too slowly. The enemy was still frightfully strong, and the attacks were as swift and powerful as they had been. The only difference was that the coordination was not as perfect as before. 

_Their reputation is well earned... damn. _She moved forward quietly, heading towards the fighting people. _It's lucky Father did come; the Maguanacs and my people are excellent fighters, but most of them are injured and weary. _Then, several blurs of black leapt from the bushes and almost immediately, multicoloured sparks of energy danced through the air. Hilde squinted; sure enough, only Zechs, Rashid and Quatre had come onto the scene.

_Good. That means we have protection for a while... or at least we should, if Heero is as powerful as Suri claims_. Some of the people were rising from where they had fallen as a physically and magically guarded Quatre moved among them. She inched forward some more, gently coaxing the tangle of bushes to ease out of her way.

Hilde? Her head snapped up. Listen, do you see a blonde man from where you are? 

She looked. Blonde hair, tied up and tucked into the uniform? 

That's the one. He's the Mage now that the 'eye' has shattered. He is the one blocking our attacks. Can you take him out? 

Hilde studied the figure. He's nearby. Just give me a moment. 

There was an unspoken affirmative from the other girl. Hilde peered carefully through a larger gap, positioning her body so it could launch the tiny dart she held. Then, she waited silently for the figure to turn. The very moment it did, she flicked her wrist and the silvery weapon flew straight at the person's chest.

Hilde held her breath, then gasped in shock and tried to duck, but it was too late; her dart had been deflected, and the retaliation - a powerful bolt of Magical energy - was too strong. She toppled, and could only watch as a pair of icy blue eyes fixed on her. A slender arm lifted itself, and belatedly, she thought to herself, _that's not a man, you idiot._ Sure enough, the fingers twisted themselves in a derisive signal unique to highborn females, and a slow smirk touched the Mage's lips as she pointed at Hilde.

Just then, a figure leapt from the bushes and dove at the woman. There was a small blink of shock, a brief tussle. The Mage fell, clutching her chest; then, Hilde saw the small hilt. Her eyes widened as they turned towards the other figure, who was breathing deeply and erratically. _"Father!_"

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - Roh-n-_daah_-lehz_

_[2] - Roo-i-_ore-_i_

_As most of you know, I'm none too comfortable with battle scenes. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. And as always, please review! (If I get lots, I won't leave the cliffhanger too long... hehehe... *evil cackle*)_  



	23. Duty

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and please keep reviewing!_

_Chara: Hehe! *giggles insanely, then smooches chibi Heero and Duo, making them squirm in terror* Thank you!_

_KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: Sorry for taking this long... I hope you're still with me! And I love fantasy fics too. About the characters and the interaction... well, I guess I love the guys too much to stuff them up. Hehe!_

_Mariel Yuy: Hi! I've finally revised the whole fic... took longer than I expected, cos I kept reading instead of proofreading. *sigh* Anyway, I'll be sending it too you within the next week; gomen for taking forever. And your Anokiv piccie must be so cool! About the snake - well, great minds think alike... hehehe. And come to think of it, Khushrenada *is* kinda like Theoden, hey? The coughing bit, and the evil, being manipulated bit... freaky. Oh well, at least it isn't too much like the actual books!_

_Stephanie Yuy: Your review was scary... I didn't realise how many people I was killing. Oh well, it's war. *shrugs* Guess you'll find out... still rather scary, though! And no cliffhanger this time, be glad of it! *grin* _

_heather: You're back! Thanks for reviewing!!_

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**Part XXIII: Duty**

Wufei hesitated for a mere second. Then, he grabbed Jorad's arm, dragging him forcefully away. He must have underestimated the old man, however, because before they traveled ten paces, the man had shaken free. Wufei looked back. "Hurry, we have to get away from here!"

"And leave the lass? Not on my score, boy." With that thrown over his shoulder, Jorad spun around and moved towards the fighters, only to be dragged back by a strong arm. The man bit back a curse. "Why aincha helpin' her?" The abrupt tilt of his head gestured unmistakably towards Sally.

"There's no time. We have to get you out of here!"

Jorad scowled. "No lass will die for me, boy."

With a quick twist, the man was free, and Wufei found himself noting - belatedly - the man's flexed muscles and the ready stance. _Damn_. The Asian covered the small distance in three strides, but just as his hand paused on the hilt of his katana, a fighter leapt towards him. Before he could react, Jorad was before him, shielding him from the blow. The man fell.

Wufei's eyes widened and blinked once. Then, in a single, swift movement, his katana was in his hand, and his body was doing what it had been trained to do for years - fight. The fight was over in less than a minute. Ignoring the dead bodies. Wufei knelt beside the fallen man, his fingers moving of their own accord to press at certain pressure points to stop the bleeding. Sally reached out for the man's wrist, then shook her head wordlessly. Wufei's lips tightened, and he whispered softly, "Hey, hang in there."

Jorad stirred. Sensing Wufei's presence, he muttered, "Yer not hurt, boy, are yeh?" Wufei shook his head, unable to speak. Almost curiously, the man queried, "Why didn't yeh fight?"

A hesitation. "I have no power. The weak... cannot fight."

There was a choked chuckle. "If I had even half the strength you had, boy..." The man drew a sudden breath, and his arm jerked involuntarily. In another moment, he was still.

Without looking at Wufei, Sally smoothed the eyelids shut. "I guess he was too weak to fight, huh? So he had to die." Sally's voice was cynical. Her face was still its usual picture of calm, but something in her eyes made it clear that she was referring not only to the man before her, but to other deaths. Wufei dropped his eyes. After a moment, the girl rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Wufei. I'm... frustrated." Sally sighed. "It's happened again - a repeat of senseless deaths, by senseless people. War uses peoples' lives as mere playthings. That's why it's important to keep fighting." She looked at him, taking in both the stoic expression and the clenched fist. Then, in an entirely different tone - "I'm sorry, Wufei. Truly I am."

It was Wufei's turn to sigh and shake his head. "No... you're right. It's my fault. He need not have died." He turned away. "It's not he who was weak... it was me. I'm the one who should have died."

Sally glanced up at him. "Wufei... don't you see? You _are_ strong. You have everything it takes to help save the people. You _saw_ how quickly the fight ended when you joined in." She stood up, facing him squarely. "You can get them, Wufei. Destroy Oz. Avenge all the innocent people." She paused. "Avenge your wife."

He did not reply. After a long silence, she pressed, "Why won't you help us?"

When Wufei finally spoke, it was as though he had not heard a word of what she said. "Why did you stay behind? You could have simply stunned the men with your anti-Healing gift."

_He realised, huh?_ "I wanted to show you that even the weak can fight."

"So you risked your life?"

"I realised that healing your heart was more important than my life. I was sure of that."

He stared at her, then, his onyx eyes searching her blue ones. "...and do you still think so?"

"Yes."

Her voice was firm, resolute, showing none of the pain that was evident in her voice just moments ago. For some reason, it reminded him of Meiran - they were both strong, infinitely proud... and both of them had an unshakable sense of right and wrong. Perhaps it was the thought of his wife that coaxed his next words.

"Meiran once told me... she once told me that true honour exists only in fighting for a cause greater than oneself. In fighting for what is _right_. I... I have always argued otherwise. I believed that honour could only exist for each individual, on a personal level." He met Sally's eyes, then, allowing his vulnerability to show for a single instant. "I'm no longer certain about that."

She took in his words, understanding the reason behind them perhaps even more than he did. "Oh, Wufei... I wish I have answers for you, I really do. But I know only what I think. I believe that all people should fight for a cause they think is right, a cause that reflects their own values. And I believe that honour lies in striving to make a difference in the name of the cause." She reached out, touching his forearm, before meeting his eyes once more. "Tell me honestly - do _you_ believe you can make a difference?"

A silence. Then, almost unwillingly - "Yes."

"Then why not do so?" _[1]_

Wufei opened his mouth, then shut it again. His eyes snapped around, and the moment was lost when he associated the echo of running footsteps with the two faces that appeared at the junction of the corridors. Trowa reached them first. "You two alright?"

The Asian nodded. Duo glanced at him, then ran his gaze intently over the bodies. Something in the violet eyes grew even bleaker. "Deaths again, huh?"

Nobody replied; the truth was self evident. Finally, Sally broke the silence by asking, "How is the fighting going outside?"

"Quatre says that they're alright... Quatre!" Trowa doubled over, clutching at his chest. Duo reached out to support him, but Trowa just folded limply onto the floor, his face ashen. Then, he suddenly seemed to notice their worried faces. "I... I'm alright. Quatre was struck by a dart; it should have gone partway into his chest." There, the youth frowned in confusion. "But... he has no wound. No sign of injury whatsoever."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Can you show me? Mentally?" Instead of replying, Trowa held out his arm, holding a wince that the action caused. He glanced quickly at his chest, and the Healer frowned at him. "Trowa, are you injured?"

Trowa lowered his arm and lifted his shirt. His eyebrows drew together sharply when he saw the freshly formed scab on his flesh. "How... is this possible?" He glanced at Sally. "This is where Quatre was hit."

Duo moved to inspect the injury. "You're saying that you somehow took Kat's wounds?"

Trowa shook his head. "I'm not saying anything. I have no idea what happened."

Sally looked at him thoughtfully. "Let me get this straight. Quatre was attacked, and should have taken an injury in his chest. Instead, he shows no sign of injury, while a scar has formed on _your_ chest." She pondered the matter for some moments. "Think about it carefully, Trowa. I'm assuming that you and Quatre were mind-linked at the time of the attack. Did he actually feel the attack at all?"

Trowa frowned. "Yes. The pain... it receded quickly, within one or two seconds. That was immediately before I felt any pain."

Sally studied him in silence for a long while. Finally, she asked carefully, "Trowa, would I be right in saying that you and Quatre are more than close friends?"

That drew a look of surprise from Wufei, and one of curiosity from Duo. Trowa, however, met her gaze evenly. "You would."

Sally smiled at him. "Then I think I understand. Trowa, have you heard of soullinking? The _Sahivare_ bond?"

"Like the relationship King Merrik of Ghandol was said to have with his lover?"

"That's the type. Not everybody believes in the _Sahivare_, and even those who do believe it is a rare occurrence. Furthermore, it only happens among couples of the same gender." She took a deep breath. "I think you and Quatre just confirmed that _Sahivare_ bonds do exist."

Wufei seemed ready to interrupt, but Sally quelled him with a look. When the Asian noticed the odd look on Trowa's face, he, too, subsided. Finally, Trowa asked simply, "How?"

"The legend tells of a young man, Sahi, who, when his lover Varel died, defied the Goddess and demanded that his own life be exchanged for his lover's. Zolte punished him for his impudence, but again and again, the man would return to the Holy Vale and alternately beg or make harsh demands. Finally, Isydril took pity on him and granted him a magic bottle. The bottle, which bore the inscription 'Un re...', or 'One and...', contained the essence of life - Sahi's life. Isydril told him that Varel would be restored if he drank the essence, but that Sahi would lose some of his own life with every drop his lover drank."

"Undaunted, the man prepared the mixture and fed it to his lover, in small portions as required. When Varel awoke, however, with half the essence taken, he refused to let Sahi feed him the rest. Then, Isydril appeared to them, telling them that they had both passed the test. Both were willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. She waved her arm and handed them Varel's essence, also stored in a bottle. This bottle was labelled '...tu svun', or '... the same'. _[2]_ This time, Varel prepared half the bottle for Sahu. Thus, each man was changed into a being made up of both his original self and his soullinked."

"The couple then mixed the remaining essence and stored it in a safe place. When they died, nobody knew what to do with the bottle, so an old priest took it to the Holy Vale and offered it back the the Goddess. Isydril then appeared again and turned the liquid into a vapour which soon disappeared into the air. It is said that whoever is touched by this vapour will have a chance to experience the _Sahivare_."

"And you are saying that Trowa and Quatre have the _Sahivare_ bond." Duo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"He is showing one of the discerning symptoms - if that's the right word. He has taken his companion's injuries." She thought for a moment. "Has this happened before in any way?"

"No to my knowledge," Trowa replied after some moments.

"Wait," interrupted Wufei. "Duo, do you remember the gypsy camp?"

Duo frowned, then snapped his fingers. "Yes! Quatre kept getting headaches and pains, and sometimes, he was so white you could see through him. I've wondered about that."

"I take it that you were injured at the time, Trowa?"

He nodded slowly. "I almost died. The doctor was shocked when I recovered so quickly. I guess this explains it."

"And the bond will also explain why Kat was able to sense you in Sahkron when none of us could."

Trowa was silent, his expression almost withdrawn. Sally glanced at him. "Is something wrong?"

A pause. "I don't like the idea that if I'm injured, Quatre's life would also become at risk." He turned to Sally. "Is there a way to control this bond?"

Sally pondered the question, sometimes closing her eyes as though trying to see beyond the physical realms. Finally, she answered, "I don't see why not. Once this is over, I'll take a look at the two of you and see whether you can create a partial shield."

"Only partial?"

She smiled. "Good things can come through the link too, Trowa. Practically speaking, you would be able to track each other at all times, and would be able to sense when the other person is injured or unhappy. But if your relationship becomes... well, physical, you may find that there are other advantages too."

Ignoring Wufei's flush and subsequent frown, she continued, "I don't mean that in a crude way; the _Sahivare _bond is a very intense, very deep form of rapport. You will be able to feel everything the other person feels, and if your relationship grows stronger, you may also be able to read each others' thoughts. It will take some getting used to, but as I said, shields should help limit the bond if you so desire."

"I see. I think we will appreciate that." His eyes were still shielded, though his expression seemed less inscrutable than before. "And the battle should be over. Apparently, some gypsies joined the fight at a crucial moment, and helped defeat the soldiers."

"Then let's go and see," Sally suggested.

Wufei nodded, but Duo seemed to hesitate suddenly. "You guys go. I... I'll go tell the people that Trowa and I evacuated that it's safe to come out."

With a long sweep of his braid, and without waiting for a reply, Duo hurried off. Sally raised an eyebrow, glancing silently at Wufei and Trowa. The youths were alternately looking at each other and at Duo's retreating form; she suspected that some private conversation was taking place. Finally, Wufei jerked his head towards the exit, indicating that they should leave. As she followed, however, she could not help but notice the worried looks that the youths were sending after their disappearing friend...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hilde rushed out, unheeding of the the other fighters and realising this too late. A bolt slammed into an invisible barrier a mere inch from her face. On the other side of the field, she heard a gasp, and glanced up quickly, taking in Heero's raised hand and Quatre's pained look. _Damn... Heero took the shield off Quatre to save me, didn't he?_ Then, to her bewilderment, the blonde brushed himself off and stood, looking questioningly at his own chest. _Maybe not._

Sending a quick thank you to the Mage anyway, she turned back to her Father and the blonde-haired female on the ground. Hilde's heart twisted as she noted the angle of the hilt buried in the Mage's chest. _Oh Father... that was the _Duar Svun-i_, wasn't it?_ The Duar Svun-i was a suicide attack, one used in extreme situations. When well-practiced, it guaranteed the death of the target because the attacker would rush in with a particularly dangerous thrust regardless of what the target was doing. What it usually meant, however, was that neither party would survive; thus, the name 'both, same fate'. _[3]_

Seeing that the Mage - the _female_ Mage, she reminded herself - was still unconscious, Hilde spoke softly, "Father?"

There was a half-smile that looked more like a grimace. "You foolish girl."

"Father, I'm sorry." It sounded very lame.

The Elder made an effort to sit up; Hilde noted belatedly that the fight swayed away from where the three of them were because both sides had an injured person there. Reaching out, she supported the man's back. Luiordo glanced at her almost amusedly. "For my injuries, but not for your desertion?"

His teasing, almost gentle tone warred with her memory of him. She had not heard that voice for a long time. Too long. Again, there was a twisting feeling within her heart. "Father, I..."

Luiordo stopped her by gripping her knee tightly. "Daughter, listen carefully. The time for pretense is over, both between you and I, and between Oz and the gypsies. Ruiore has been assassinated by Bocherik Ronterdo. The neutrality contracts have been broken. Take the able people from our group and continue aiding the prince of Sanq, but first, find Ruiore's people. Escort all the children and the elderly to the Hideout. The people there have weapons and provisions that may help." He broke off, drawing deep breaths.

Meanwhile, Hilde was staring at him in shock. Piecing the knowledge together. Her tone disbelieving, she whispered, "You knew?"

Luiordo closed his eyes. In that moment, all his wrinkles seemed more prominent, as did the grey in his hair... and the gaping wound in his chest. "Of course. Hilde, you were always spirited, even as a child, and too keen to act upon your own ideas of right and wrong. But the customs governing our people are strict, and there is much that only the Elders are permitted to know. Our hideout, our secret sources... our plans for various situations. I tried to be more severe with you, to quell some of your impulsiveness, to make you aware of how intricately our survival is linked to our obedience to those customs."

The Elder sighed. "Several years ago, I realised that would never work, so I steered your impulsiveness in the right direction by blatantly taking the opposite path, one you disagreed with. Hilde, news had already begun flowing in about possible wars. Some of the information I kept secret, some of it - parts which I knew would provoke anger - I leaked to you. But now, the war has started, and the neutrality pacts are gone. You can act upon your desires, as long as you keep something in mind."

He gazed at her intently. "As an Elder, you _must_ learn to act warily, to act not only for the good of your clan, but for the good of the gypsies as a whole. Had we not been on the brink of war, your actions could have cost us the neurality contracts, and one-sided as those may have been, they protected those of us who were too weak to fight." Again, Luirdo broke off, coughing.

Hilde stared at her father - the unreasonable coward, the stubborn conservative... the manipulative genius. She suddenly wondered how many of her actions had been the result of her father's indirect taunting. She had guessed his relation to her leaving when her people appeared, but she had no idea how deeply rooted his coercions were. Then, the gypsy realised it no longer mattered.

"Hush." Her voice was surprisingly gentle. A part of her mind wondered at that, then another replied with the obvious - her father was dying. "I hear what you say. You... you should conserve your strength." There would be time for her to sort out the rest of the confusing words later.

A wry look. "Whatever for?" His face turned serious. "There's one more thing you have to know. We do not know who is behind all of this, but we have found out how he or she is getting the amazing amounts of energy. Hilde, somebody has invoked the _Hareisva_."

Her heart stopped. For a moment, she stared Luiordo in shock, then the last piece of the jigsaw clicked into place. "Oh my god... that's why..."

The Elder was looking at her calmly, watching her form her own conclusions. Finally, she nodded. "I know what I have to do."

"Good girl." For a moment, the aged face softened. Then, Luiordo gave a small sigh. "You have to go, Hilde. Go and fight."

"But Father, you..."

He shook his head, gently. "It's for the people, Hilde. Everything is."

It took her some moments, but she accepted it. With her head bowed, Hilde nodded. He raised his hand, ghosted it over her braid. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the Elder was pressing an object into her palm. "Here, take this." It was the ruling signet. "You're the Elder now, daughter."

Hilde looked at the object for some moments, the lump in her throat making speech impossible. Then, with new determination shining from her eyes, she swallowed and clasped the object around her neck. "Rest, Father. May you find peace in the Goddess's halls." She stood up.

"Good girl," Luiordo said again. For some reason, she felt as though he was making up for a decade's worth of encouragement, of support. Impulsively, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, whispering, "Thank you, Father. And goodbye." Then she left him and joined the dying fight.

"Goodbye, my daughter... Elder. And fare well." With that, the gypsy Elder closed his eyes and drew his last breath. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Zechs caught sight of Trowa some time after the battle ended, Wufei and Sally, he motioned them over. Trowa reported briefly on what had happened within the cloister, leaving out the history of the _Sahivare_ bond. The prince raised an eyebrow, sending a swift glance at Quatre, who was checking for injured gypsies and mercenaries. Then, Zechs regarded his friend. "Perhaps you would like to explain the story to him yourself?"

Trowa nodded, then gestured to the unconscious blonde behind bound between Rashid and Abdul. "Who is that girl? She does not appear to be dead." He looked at them more closely. "And Hilde seems to be glaring at her."

Zechs sighed, recounting the battle briefly. When he was finished, they all stood silently for several moments, with different thoughts running through each of their minds. Finally, Heero broke the silence. "Suri, perhaps you should go and find Duo."

Suri turned towards the Mage thoughtfully. "Why?"

He looked away. "He... he needs a friend, right now."

Her gaze softened as she took a step towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. The Mage glanced up, startled. Heero, I think _you_ should be the one to go. 

A frown. Me? I... have no skill in that area. 

...What area? 

Heero paused. Providing comfort. 

She returned his gaze evenly. I thought he simply needed a friend? Besides, you seemed to comfort Relena pretty well. 

That was different. He hesitated briefly. Besides, you... are closer to him. It should be either you or Quatre, and Quatre is engaged. 

Suri closed her eyes for a moment, then looked directly into his eyes. It's you he needs, Heero. You can't deny it - Duo and I are close friends, but you're cousins. You're family. And you're the one who was there for him during the first major obstacle of his life - he told me that himself. A deep breath. Heero... people never forget incidents like that. Believe it or not, you're the one who Duo cares about the most. And you're the one who can help Duo the most. 

Looking at the cobalt eyes that could not quite hide the confusion beneath Heero's stoic mask, Suri felt a pang of uncertainty. This feeling intensified when she released some of her Empathetic shields and was struck with 'leaked' emotions, the most dominant was a very, very strong desire to run and hide. She bit her lip.

_I hope this is right... gods, I've been pushing him a lot these last few days, and he's still drained from the fights and everything else. I know he did look more... at ease after that conversation with Relena, but the meeting afterwards raised so many memories that any positive effects were probably negated._

Unbeknownst to her, Heero, too, was recalling incidents from the previous week. His mind was running over his conversation with Duo prior to the meeting, the words of which still echoed in his mind - _oh hell, Heero, it's all about love_. The Mage glanced quickly towards Suri, whose expression suddenly contained a hint of guardedness. _Could that be what she means? Duo loves about me more because I'm his family, so he will be more open to comfort from me? _His mind flashed back even further, to another confronting conversation.

..._Can't we matter as friends and not as objects that serve a mission?_ ...

Heero chewed on his lip. _...Duo still wants friendship from me? _He instantly rejected that thought. _No. He knew me too well... that's why I had to push him away. I won't make him care again; not if I will have to hurt his feelings even more_. And yet, at the corner of his mind, another voice repeated for the second time that week -

_...Heero, always follow your emotions. Follow your heart... let yourself care about others, and let yourself love... That's the only way you'll be happy, my son..._

And suddenly, he had had enough. The voices had to stop - they were distracting him, and they were bringing back memories he had thought dead. Spinning around, he replied abruptly, Fine. And before the girl could reply, he was already pacing quickly towards the building.

Suri stared after him uncertainly. Catching her eye, Zechs sent, I could sense that - you were talking about something. Is there anything I should know about? 

Silently, the girl shook her head. She found herself crossing her fingers; if her instincts had deceived her, she would have hurt two very close friends. And she had a feeling that Duo was nearing the edge of his limits...  
  
  
  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - Many references to my Episode 12 transcript and my Episode Zero scans in this section - the parts are altered, of course, so that they would fit into my storyline. So some sections are not in their original order, and there are direct quotes, indirect quotes (ie. with some words changed) as well as original statements. You may have noticed by now that I love doing things like that!_

_[2] - _Oon_ reh-_tu_ seh-_voon (_emphasis placed on un-italicized text) - note that 'and the' is pronounced as one word to make the phrase more rhythmical (and refer back to Ch. 20 for information about the faces of the Goddess if necessary)_

_[3] - Doo_-ar_ seh-_voon_-i_

_As a bit of an explanation,__ **un** means 'one' while **dun** means 'two' and **duar** means 'both'; while **svun** means 'same' and **svun-i** means 'same thing'. Plus, in this context, **svun-i **means 'same fate'. _

_*** I'm not trying to design my own language or anything, but just as our world has... say, latin words that crop up in the oddest places (like my school anthem), so too should this AU. The words don't appear everywhere, as you may have noticed; it's usually for specific phrases or names, such as the sign on the door of the Cloister's old prayer-room, the name of an ancient attack or the inscription on mythical bottles. Just so you know._ :P *** 

_And oh, about the Hareisva? You'll find out, don't you worry. Anyone feel like venturing a guess? I actually did reveal it quite early on, in one of the chapters, but you can also kind of work it out by piecing together the clues. Or, you can wait two weeks. By the way, I've finally explained how Trowa healed so quickly - I promised, didn't I? By the way, anyone knows who the Mage is? The first person to guess correctly can get their name in the story - unless the name is too long. Then I'll shorten it first._

_Oh yeah. Reviews, pretty please, with a gazillion cherries on top? If I get more than five reviews within the next week or so, I'll do an extra long chappie so that **Part III** of Roleplay can begin by Ch. 25._


	24. Parting

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _Thanks for the reviews, and please keep reviewing!_

_Chara: Yeah! Me finished now. *rubs eyes blearily* Can I grab the pocky now? *reaches out and catches Duo's braid instead. *'Oi!'... 'Whoops.'*_

_Skulled: I'm glad you liked the plot and the characters... I like Quatre and Trowa too, though I'm trying not to make this a romance-based fic. Thanks for reviewing!_

_yaoilover: Hehe! I'm glad you liked the story. Hope you enjoy the next chappie too, and thanks for the review!_

_KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: I'm glad you found the chapter! Where were you gone? (you don't have to answer, me just curious) And yeah, no evil cliffhanger. Hehe..._

_Mariel Yuy: Hi! Did you get the chappies? I sent nine to you yesterday, in three emails. One of the emails may not have gotten through. Oh, and I snipped one line of your last email and put it in a review, just so I could legitimately say you guessed Dorothy correctly. Do you mind?_

  
  
  


**Part XXIV: Parting**

Though some of the Maguanacs were still unconscious, they all appeared to have survived. He checked their injuries carefully. Then, nodding to himself in satisfaction, Quatre responded to Rashid's mental query with a smile; none of his men's injuries were permanent, and with a few days of rest, the Maguanacs would be fit for battle once more. The mercenary sent a note of acknowledgement then tilted his head slightly to the left.

Quatre followed his gaze to where Hilde was kneeling beside the gypsy Elder, who was sprawled on the ground. The Healer shook his head mutely. Nobody but the Goddess could save those whose spirits had flown to the heavens. He glanced around the area once more, confirming to himself that there were no others who needed his service, then walked over to where Rashid stood on alert. "She's the Mage?"

It was Abdul who replied. "The back-up, yes. Although she wasn't distant enough to coordinate the fighters through coercion, she still had access to a large store of energy. If she had not fallen... many more of us would be dead."

Quatre crossed his hands in the sign of the Goddess, then studied the girl curiously. "She appears to be quite young." He paused, drawing on some memories. "And yet, she must be an Adept to have fought so strongly."

"She's a Master," Abdul corrected, shaking his head. "It is her power source that makes her appear powerful."

"But Adepts are the only ones who can work on the Magical plane, are they not?"

The mercenaries exchanged glances. Finally, Rashid shook his head. "She is not working on the planes."

Quatre stared at him for some time, then realisation dawned. "That's right... you were talking about energy sources the other day." He frowned in concentration. "But..." _It doesn't make sense. I'm missing something; I know that much. But they can't tell me and still retain their honour, so I can't ask them. Besides, they already said that they don't know where the energy comes from. If not from the Magical plane, then where? And how can the Mage access the energy?_

Rashid rested a hand on his shoulder. "Would you at least like to know who the Mage is?"

He glanced up in surprise. "You know?"

A nod. "Just don't ask how. She is Dorothy Catalonia. She works in close affinity with Anokiv Ronterdo of Oz."

Quatre's jaw dropped slightly. "Lady Catalonia?"

Rashid met his eyes. "None other."

The Healer closed his mouth with an inaudible snap. Two generations ago, one of the most powerful men in Oz was Duke Dermail. A ruthless, infinitely manipulative politician with a genius for controlling politicians and politics alike, he was both feared and grudgingly admired. He had goals and visions which extended in ways that only he understood, and held no qualms about using people around him to reach them. But that was until his sister changed his life.

At the beginning, not much was known about the sister, who had, until her eighteenth year, been veiled under her brother's shadow. Then, one night changed her life, and through her, that of her brother's. One night when, before an audience of thousands, King Khushrenada proposed to her. A month later, the couple was royally married, and the sister who had become queen began ruining the duke's careful plans.

She had not done so intentionally, or so the story was told. But being almost fifteen years younger than her brother, the Queen had had a rather peculiar upbringing; one one hand, she had been exposed to her brother's political manipulations from a young age, but on the other, her parents had taught her over and over again that peace was something wonderful, if rather elusive.

And thus, the girl utilised her brother's manipulative methods to convince both King Khushrenada and his council to introduce anti-corruption laws that brought the duke's plans tumbling down. Bitter and revengeful, he disowned his sister and faded from the political spotlight. For a half a decade, peace reigned in Oz; there were no foreign wars, and because of the Queen's charm, the court was as peaceful as any court could ever expected to be. Then, the twenty-four year old queen fell pregnant, and soon afterwards died in labour. Her son Treize was named the heir to the throne.

In the meantime, however, the duke had found other ways to further his ambitions - but instead of doing so blatantly, his tactics had changed to focus on subtle, unnoticeable moves. Yet still, one irritant remained in his family, and she was his twenty-two year old daughter Anna. Not only was she an officer in the army, but she had married Major Catalonia, and to the duke, this spoke of both disobedience and stupidity. While he himself stood high - though hidden - on the political stage, pulling the strings and controlling Oz through subtlety and cunning, his very own daughter had defied him and joined the ranks of one of his mere tools. Angry and growing increasingly bitter, he disowned Anna also.

That was where the official stories ended. Rumours, however, said that five years later, Anna herself was fatally injured in a training accident. The Duke somehow managed to gain custodianship of her three-month old daughter, whose name was Dorothy Catalonia. Major Catalonia did not disappear altogether, but it appeared to some as though he had; he was never in Oz for more than several weeks at a time.

Dorothy had remained an enigma until the age of twelve, when the duke suddenly arrived at an official function with her arm linked in his. From then on, the rumours about Lady Catalonia intensified and spread like wildfire, especially because she was only ever seen at the Zolte celebrations and at the biannual royal balls. _[1]_ It would seem, however, that not even the rumours had done her justice.

Just then, the Mage stirred. Abdul immediately strengthened his shields on her, and Rashid lowered his sword to her neck. Slowly, a pair of blue eyes opened, blinked once, then roved around calmly, finally settling on Quatre. He felt himself growing uneasy at her scrutiny and made a conscious effort to put on a polite smile. "Lady Catalonia, I believe?"

She responded with a small smirk of her own. "You can believe what you will."

Quatre paused, momentarily uncertain of how to act. Finally, he gave a nod. "Then I shall." He reached down and clasped his fingers around her wrist, holding on firmly even as she tried to snatch it away. Straightening, he said mildly, "Those wounds are not fatal, but they will have to be tended to."

There was a fleeting frown of confusion, then - "It is none of your concern." She tried to stand, but the sword pressed harder against her neck. Her lips thinned. "Do to me what you will, but I will not be treated like a fool."

"Very well." Quatre sent a quick command to Rashid, and when the man still did not act, he sent, She cannot run, not with her injuries, and if she wished to Teleport away, the sword will not prevent her. The mercenary lowered the sword reluctantly and Quatre reached out, offering Dorothy his arm. While he helped her to stand, his mind probed at his companions', sending them an unspoken signal. Heero responded with a simple negative, but Zechs, Trowa and Suri gave mental nods.

Quatre turned back to the girl. "My name is... Kat. I understand that you would not want to betray your allies, but will you at least tell us whose cause you're fighting for?"

A proud glint. "I fight for nobody's cause but my own."

"I see." He tilted his head slightly. "Not Anokiv Ronterdo's?"

"So the Windriders have heard of him?" Her tone was mocking, and her words were followed by a humourless chuckle. "Never fear; he does not control me, nor will he ever. I would never lower myself to his standards."

Quatre kept his tone light, masking his surprise. "And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said, Healer. He corrupts the purity of war with his methods."

"War... pure?"

She gave a slow smirk. "War is not merely the absence of peace, Healer, nor is peace merely the absence of war. Think on this - if there was no war, how could people know peace? But while peace is the elusive dream of unrealistic people, war is not. It is glory, it is passion, and it is what happens when people fight for their own beliefs. War is a part of all of us, and that makes it pure."  
  
This new perspective unsettled him; it was wrong, and Quatre's heart told him as much, and yet it made sense in an incredibly twisted way. Finally, he shook his head. "Peace is not elusive, nor is it unrealistic. How can it be? It's forged by people who believe in looking at the goodness in one another, in striving for harmony. Love... love is the root of peace."

There was a derisive chuckle. "And so the naive may assume. But if that is true, why does war destroy peace time and time again? Taking away all the weapons won't stop wars. You have to change the hearts of the people."

The girl's tone made it clear that she doubted that such a change was possible. Just when Quatre was ready to argue - against the cynicism in her tone as much as anything else - he felt his brother step up behind him. Quietly, he moved aside. Dorothy glanced at the newcomers, then settled her gaze on Zechs. "The leader of the Windriders." It was not a question.

"Yes, indeed." Zechs offered a slight bow. Quatre was mildly surprised at his brother's manner, but then, he chided himself. Of course someone who was brought up as a monarch would remain as courteous as a courtier, even when dealing with enemies. Had he not done the same himself? Besides, even he would have to admit that the enigmatic lady had captured his interest; the cold sense of purpose combined with the almost arrogant dignity was intriguing, and her conviction about the purity of war even more so.

"Lady Catalonia, I apologise for not introducing myself sooner. I am Zechs Merquise." A pause. "I have heard much about you."

Quatre felt a rush of... something from Dorothy, but it was quickly quelled and his Empathy had not analysed it in time. The girl took a sudden step back and spun around. Beside him, Trowa pushed forward and attempted to grab her arm, but she was already gone. Rashid swore.

Abdul stared at the spot for some moments then turned to Zechs, his expression contrite. "I am sorry. My shields were not strong enough."

The prince shook his head. "It was not your fault; I ought to have suspected that she would try to escape, but I assumed that her injuries would prevent her from doing so."

Unnoticed, Hilde had walked up behind him, her eyes dull. "So she escaped, huh?"

Quatre turned to her. "Hilde, I'm so sorry..."

She was silent for a moment, before giving a single nod. Quietly, the gypsy said, "I doubt any shields could have held her. Besides, if blame must be assigned, then I deserve it as much as any other."

_Hilde blames herself because her father died in her defence. _Quatre regarded her sadly, then touched her shoulder in a gesture of support. She sighed. "There is something you should know. Whoever coordinates these attacks and provides the energy for them - Anokiv Ronterdo or not - is using Blood Magic."

Quatre blanched, and his Empathatic gift sensed an abrupt chill in the atmosphere. Trowa was the first to speak. "They invoked the _Hareisva_?"

"That's what my Father told me."

Suri looked at all of them. "Uh, what is the _Hareisva_?"

Abdul sighed. "It's an ancient Magic, an invocation used by Mages before it was banned by the law. A Mage who invokes that ritual binds his own life force permanently to the Death Plane, and thus becomes able to tap into the corrupt energy that flows there. You see, all beings have a life force, and when they die, their life force becomes transformed into energy. The younger and healthier the person, the more potent the life force, and the stronger the energy." 

"Oh." She thought it over. "It makes too much sense for comfort, doesn't it? You know... now, I understand why they took the children in Yvanolé."

Zechs shot her a sharp look. "It does explain that incident, doesn't it?"

"And Sally's clan," Quatre added, though he looked somewhat pale. "Healers have stronger life forces."

They were all silent for some moments. "But what can we do about it?" Suri asked finally.

"Well... stopping other people from accessing the energy will not be impossible. They are currently connected to the plane through the primary Mage, or through an object in the Mage's possession. Quite possibly a power stone... that is more likely, to tell the truth. Of course, power stones are expensive, but I doubt that cost is an issue. All one has to do would be to break that stone."

"But what of Anokiv himself?"

"That would be more difficult. There are several ways - one is to use a physical attack, since shields against those are never perfect. Another is to attack while he is unconscious, or to catch him at a time when his shields are lowered... but I don't think that any of those ideas would be good. If he is linked to the energy and the link is suddenly terminated, the backlash may be disastrous."

"Do not forget - while we are assuming that Anokiv is the Mage, we cannot act upon that assumption." Zechs almost glanced at Rashid, but stopped himself in time and half-sighed. "Heero ought to be here." He looked at Suri. "He went to speak to Duo?"

She nodded, then glanced quickly at Hilde. The gypsy met her gaze and shook her head slightly. It's okay, Suri. I... I need to be alone. 

Suri acknowledged that, but added softly, I'll always be here if you need me, Hilde. Always. 

I know. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unsurprisingly, his cousin was kneeling beside the nun's body. Heero took several steps closer, then stopped. Duo looked up at the sound and when he saw the Mage, he tried unsuccessfully to smile. "Hey, Heero... do we have to go, or something?"

He made as if to stand, but Heero forestalled him by resting a hand on his shoulder. "No, not yet."

A raised eyebrow. "Then why..."

What were people supposed to say in these situations? Heero hesitated, then crouched beside him. "Are you okay?" Before his cousin could reply, he shook his head. "Sorry. That was... a pointless question."

The violet eyes were red-rimmed but at Heero's last words, they creased slightly at the corners. "Isn't that what people are supposed to ask, though?"

"...I suppose."

Duo's lips quirked slightly, then he sighed and turned away. "Heero, why are you here?"

The Mage frowned. Somehow, the truth did not seem appropriate, but what else could he say? "Suri said that you needed a friend."

Duo's shoulder stiffened, then relaxed again. After some moments, he murmured, "We all need friends." He turned around again. "It's okay, Heero. You don't have to stay. I know you don't like heart-to-hearts."

_Oh._ For some reason, Duo's calm acceptance of his desire to leave sent a strange surge of despair through him. He quelled it quickly. _I'm being an idiot. If he says I can leave, then I should._ _And yet..._ Something told him that he should not. Some inner prompting that he did not quite understand was asking... no, _demanding_ that he stayed.

_... Believe it or not, you're the one who Duo cares about the most. And you're the one who can help Duo the most..._

He still did not understand Suri's logic, but for some reason, he had grown to trust her judgement in matters concerning other people. She had an uncanny habit of being right. So, Heero compromised. "Would you like me to stay?"

Duo looked surprised. "I... sure." A pause, then he repeated. "Only if you want."

Heero simply nodded. Sending him a brief smile, the braided youth returned to his kneeling position and closed his eyes. Only then did Heero realise he had been praying. They remained in silence for some time, then Duo looked up. "I'm done."

The Mage nodded again. There was a brief hesitation, then he said awkwardly, "You were right. They... they did make the world a better place."

For some moments, Duo stared straight at him. Heero grew increasingly uneasy, and finally, he turned away. Then, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck. There was a brief sense of _deja vu_, and he realised with surprise that this was the second time that he had been hugged within one week. For some reason, the contact did not feel quite as strange as it had the first time.

After a while, Duo drew away, and his eyes were dry once more. Shakily, he whispered, "Thanks, Heero."

The awkwardness rushed back. "...You're welcome." A glint caught his eye, and before he could stop himself, he had reached out slightly. At Duo's questioning glance, he lowered his arm again with a light cough. "I'm sorry. I thought I saw..."

"Oh." The youth's expression cleared. "This?" He fingered a golden cross strung on a chain around his neck. Heero nodded. "It is a prayer cross... a miniature version of the prayer diamond at this cloister. Sister Helen gave it to me."

"Wh-" Heero stopped himself. Asking what point there was in carrying around a holy object seemed insensitive, though he could not quite understand why. And saying that a necklace would be a burden seemed... rude. He tried again. "What's the difference?"

Again, there was a flash of surprise at his question. "Well, in prayer diamonds, the four points are linked so that they form sides, reminding us that the Goddess's power is all around us. In prayer crosses, the four points are linked through two intersecting lines, symbolising the fact that the Goddess is also inside us... I guess it means we should rely on ourselves as much as we rely on the external power of deities."

"Oh." He considered for a moment. "A meaningful gift, then."

Duo smiled - a real smile, this time. "Yes."

Heero returned the smile hesitatingly when a brief knock sounded in his head. What is it? 

Uh... Heero, I'm sorry for interrupting, but... well. How's Duo? 

He was surprised; Suri sounded rather uncertain. He is as fine as can be expected. 

Ah... right. Listen, Hilde's father has died. He died saving her. She says she wants to be by herself, but I have a strange feeling that Duo may be able to help. But... 

Heero suddenly understood. But you don't want to tell him if he's too upset already? 

A pause, then a mental nod. Duo was looking at him curiously, so he finished, I'll handle it. There was a surge of almost-relief, and he turned back to his cousin. "Hilde's father died in saving her."

The braided boy frowned. "The gypsies came? But she said..." He stood abruptly and moved to the exit, then paused and turned. "I've got to see if I can help. But thanks for... just thanks."

Heero nodded and Duo hurried away. There was a strange tug at his heart. _He's in mourning and yet, at the slightest sign of his friends' needs, he put his own troubles aside. He always cares more about others than he does about himself..._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duo found her leaning against a boulder, her knees drawn up against her chest. "Hilde?"

She looked up, brushing at the wetness on her cheeks. Suddenly, he was struck by a memory of a small glade where they had conversed properly for the first time. Before that, he had bantered in his usual manner and she had responded politely, and yet, certain turns of phrase lingered in his mind, turns of phrase that hinted at a fiery spirit beneath the gypsy princess. So he had persisted, and soon, he had coaxed out some decent responses, both verbal and emotional.

_*** flash ***_

_"...and they teemed around the garden, whizzing like a swarm of miniature Mage-lights, ducking in and out of the orchids..."_

_"Flaas don't fly among orchids," she interrupted._

_Duo grinned. "And how would you know?"_

_"The scent of flowers repels them."_

_"Do not."_

_"I've seen it happen. We burn dried petals sometimes to keep them away."_

_He shook his head, smirking. "Not always."_

_"Fine, name a flower that *doesn't* repel them."_

_He shrugged. "Don't know the name."_

_"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Exasperation, now._

_"Of course you are."_

_"Well, it's too bad for you, isn't it?"_

_"How so?"_

_"... I don't believe idiots!"_

_He turned to face her, challengingly. "Wanna bet I'm wrong?"_

_She took a deep breath. "Father does not approve of betting."_

_Duo laughed. "Whatever. But I'll prove it anyway - come on!"_

_*** end flash ***_

The argument had been pointless, mere noises made by his tongue because his mind was still stunned from the loss of his friend. He had simply rambled on, trying to provoke a response, trying concentrate on anything other than the depressing things. It still surprised him that she had followed.

_// Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?  
Would you run, and never look back? //_

Yes, she had followed, and by a strange twist of fate, they found a small swarm of flaas. The sight of the small, glowing creatures had been too much for him - memories burst free, memories of a birthing day ceremony where the quiet youth had gifted him with a jar of flaas that he himself had lured.

And to his surprise, the gypsy girl did not laugh or shy away in discomfort; she had simply reached out and held him as the tears fell, listening patiently as he expressed his grief in words for the first time. What touched him the most was that when he pulled away, there had been a glint of moisture in her own eyes. Having someone to confide in - someone he did not feel he was burdening, someone he did not have to be cheerful around - was an wonderful, and though the grief remained, it no longer drove him insane.  
  
// _Would you cry, if you saw me crying?  
And would you save my soul tonight? //_

They had become friends after that. The more he saw of the strong but infinitely kind spirit, the more he liked her; they were kindreds in ways that nobody else could understand. They understood the need for masks in one another, but more importantly, they understood how much pain could lie beneath those masks. It was almost as though an unspoken agreement had formed between them - outwardly, they would continue as they always had, but her shoulder would always be there for him. And his would always be there for her.

That pact had remained unbroken; when she joined their group in the role of a self-established gypsy Elder, he could see the uncertainty that she refused to show. He told her to talk to him and after a hesitation, she had. The gypsy girl broke down and confessed all her fears, all her doubts. He had tried to help, as best as he could. It broke his heart the tears on her face once more.

"Oh, Duo..."

"I know, Hilde, I know." He knelt beside her, placing an arm around her shoulder. The tears fell once more, then, hot and scalding against the shoulder of his tunic. I'm sorry. 

She pulled away almost abruptly. Duo chided himself; telepathy had been too intimate. He ought to have realised that, but he had been trying to let her see that he cared. _Baka, me_. Suddenly, a barrage of images and thoughts flooded his mind. He reeled slightly, then, realised that she was trying to show him what had happened, why it happened... and why she blamed it all on herself. _Oh Hilde..._

So he comforted her in the best way he knew - he opened his mind to her. Not completely; he could not do that for anybody. Not yet, perhaps not ever. But he could show her he understood. He had been there. He knew what it felt like to have loved ones dying on him, to face the ever-increasing waves of self-incrimination even when everyone tried to convince him that it was not his fault. He knew... gods, he knew - it never helped.

Slowly, gradually, the tears slowed to a trickle. She lowered her head exhaustedly into his shoulder and he touched her mind with a final, gentle caress before withdrawing. A tremor ran through her body, then, and she looked up at him. I love you, Duo. 

_// Would you tremble, if I touched your lips?  
Would you laugh? Please tell me this.  
Now would you die, for the one you love?  
Hold me in your arms tonight. //_

Though the words may have implied otherwise, Duo knew she did not mean them romantically. He did not take them as such. I know, Hilde. Me too. 

A shaky smile, then she sat up straighter. Duo, are *you* alright? 

He sighed, mentally. I've been better... but it's not as bad as it was. Silently, he conveyed what Heero had said, coupled with images of what his cousin's words had done for him. She reciprocated with an expression of both gladness and sympathy.

After a few moments of silence, she murmured, You love him, don't you? 

Of course. 

He... hides things differently, I think. 

An image of the incident at the Grounds, and of what changes it wrought. I wish he never had to go through that. 

Of course you do. But it seems like he's recovering, doesn't it? 

...I don't know. His is not so much a mask as it's... a way of denying things to himself. I... I had begun to doubt that he could turn back into the person he was before. 

She sensed the guilt. Don't, Duo. I don't think you would have given up on him. I don't think you *could* have, even if you tried. 

...perhaps. 

You'd never give up on people you cared about, Duo. 

He thought it over, then gave a single nod. Maybe. He turned to face her. Come to me if you need me, okay? It... hurts me when people are hurting and won't let me try to help. Let me be there for you. 

_// I can be your hero, baby.  
I can kiss away the pain. //_

I will. 

Promise me. 

A light laugh. I'll always go to you if I feel like wetting someone's shoulder, Duo. I promise. 

He chuckled in return. Good. 'Cos I'll always be here. 

_// I will stand by you forever.  
You can take my breath away. //_

He meant what he said, and she believed him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** _The next morning *** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Windriders sat in a rough circle with representatives of their allied groups - Rashid and Abdul for the Maguanacs, Hilde and Mariel, the most senior of the her advisors, for the gypsies, Sally for the clans and Relena, who Zechs invited as a matter of courtesy.

The prince had spent the first section of the meeting explaining the situation to those who had not attended previous meetings, and asking the gypsies to reveal what news they could reveal. The part about the murder of Ruiore had been interesting, and although Zechs was sorry that the incident had occurred, he could not in all honesty deny that he was displeased that the gypsies had joined their cause.

Then, the discussion had focused on the _Hareisva_. Relena in particular looked appalled, but aside from that, they had not managed to come to any conclusions about how to deal with the Mage. Zechs held misgivings about that, but hid them carefully, leading the topic onto their plans for the future.

"We do have more manpower than we began with, so we should take advantage of that," Quatre offered.

He nodded. "Yes, I was thinking about separating into smaller groups. Not only would it be more flexible in terms of numbers, but it would mean that we are much more efficient in executing our plans."

"And what would those plans include?" Rashid queried.

"Investigating both Anokiv in Sanq, and Bocherik, Treize and King Khushrenada in Oz," Heero stated.

"The group going into Oz would have to be small one intended for infiltration and spying, not attacking," commented Trowa thoughtfully.

Quatre nodded. "Mm. Either you or Heero, perhaps both of you."

"No," Heero said. "Not together. I cannot risk being Magically detected around Anokiv, so I'll go."

"Not alone you won't," Duo interrupted. "It's too dangerous."

The Mage favoured him with an inscrutable look but shook his head. "I did not suggest that."

Suri glanced at the two of them. "Isn't Bocherik a Mage too?"

"It is a risk, but all our information at the moment suggests that Anokiv is the primary Mage. He would be more dangerous, magically speaking. And I am not as good at stealth as Trowa is."

Trowa nodded. "Abdul did mention that physical attacks may work."

The mercenary Mage shook his head. "They may, but you should not try it; as I said, the backlash would be dangerous."

The brown-haired youth nodded evenly. "I will see."

Zechs regarded each of them then spoke again. "I, too, shall be going to the palace, because I need to judge the situation for myself. I was thinking that Quatre could come with me, because his anti-Healing powers may not be guarded against, and his gift of Empathy will be useful."

Quatre considered, then nodded in acceptance. Rashid conversed quickly with Abdul. "We, too, shall follow."

"Will that not attract attention?" Relena asked dubiously.

"We are mercenaries," Rashid replied calmly, "and more importantly, we are trained assassins. Unless we wish to be detected, we will not be."

"Relena, maybe you should come with us," Quatre suggested.

"But-" she glanced around quickly. "Would that be best?"

"Well, you can hardly stay here, and since we'll be passing cities along the way, you would have a better chance of escaping and surviving if the need arises."

Relena hesitated. Heero noted her reluctance and said bluntly, "It would be the safest."

She glanced at him and thought for some moments. "Very well."

"Good. Now, who will go with Heero into Peirot?"

Suri spoke up, "I'll go. You may need Empathy there too, and if I go, I can pass off as a performer; all I would need is an instrument of some sort. Heero... can be my porter. That would increase my ranking, actually, and the disguise will be more realistic."

Zechs nodded. "That would be a good plan, in truth. A festival is approaching, so bards or minstrels will not appear odd. Heero?"

The Mage's expression remained inscrutable. "The plan should work."

"Fine. Now, in regards to the gypsies and the clans, I was hoping that we could send envoys to see if they are willing to help us."

Relena frowned slightly. "Why?"

Zechs glanced at her. "We are trying to gather allies in preparation for the future."

"What will happen in the future?"

A small smile. "That would be difficult to predict, but battles will be quite likely."

The girl hesitated, then said quietly, "Must you really fight?"

Zechs turned to her solemnly. "We need to recover peace for the people in Sanq. To do that, we must first overthrow Oz control there."

"But... doesn't it appear strange to any of you?" Relena looked up. "You desire peace, yet you are willing to fight for it. Does there not appear to be a contradiction?"

The prince sighed, softly. "If it were possible to attain peace without war, then we would try it. But Oz will not give up so easily. Have they not already slaughtered hundreds of innocent, unarmed people?"

Relena fingered her hair. "They have killed, it is true. My... my parents were victims also. That is why I see war as futile - all it ever does is create bloodshed and grief, and ultimately, more war." She paused. "But I cannot help but wonder if there is another way to attain peace. Through words, perhaps. By changing peoples' hearts, by making them see that they do not need to fight."

Quatre murmured thoughtfully, "Dorothy said that too, you know. That to eliminate war, you had to change peoples' hearts." He smiled at Relena and she returned it, tentatively. Then, the smile faded. "But she did not believe it would be possible. And in truth..." he sighed. "I do not, either. Not a this time. Peace would be wonderful, but as long as people we care about are being killed for no reason, we have to fight. To prevent more deaths." He hesitated. "I'm sorry."

"No, it is not your fault." Her tone held a hint of sadness, but it was firm. "I do not agree with your views, but it is not my place to command your actions."

Zechs looked at her in hidden surprise; Relena had changed from the girl he knew. He had expected a spoiled noble when he invited her to this meeting, and in fact, he had only done so to honour her parents' memories. But instead, she appeared to have matured into someone who had experienced grief and who both had and was true her own convictions. Yes, her views were idealistic, but there was no harm in dreaming, and if all people thought as she did, war could indeed be unnecessary.

Hilde spoke up, "Father suggested that I take my people to the gypsy camp and gather reinforcements there. That is what I planned to do."

"Is it far?"

Mariel shook her head. "It is an old route, if infrequently used. Seven to ten day's journey from the border."

"I will come with you," Duo said suddenly. "You ought to have a representative from Zechs, anyhow."

Hilde sent him a smile. "Your aid will be welcome. Zechs?"

"Yes, I was going to suggest it myself. Duo, you can make any necessary decisions on my behalf. Please send my regards to Ruiore's people."

"I will."

Wufei glanced at Sally. "Sally and I will seek the Tiger clan. She says they may offer us assistance."

Zechs regarded him carefully. "Are you certain you wish to go, Wufei?"

The youth nodded. "I will do whatever I need to fulfil my duty."

"Very well. You, too, have the right to make any necessary decisions on my behalf." He stood. "We shall part tomorrow, then. Send progress reports when possible. We will meet in the capital of Sanq in two months. Good luck to you all, and Goddess bless."

"Goddess bless," they all murmured, and parted to prepare for the next day. Their retalliation had begun.

  
  
  


**The End**...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


...of Roleplay, Section Two. *lol* Did I scare anyone? Section One ended at Ch. 8. There are explanations for all of this on my site, which is currently sitting and rusting in my hard drive atm. *grin* I'll upload it sometime, honest. :) 

  
  


**Notes**:

_[1] - Let's see... in this story, Dorothy is fifteen and her mother and father would have been 40 and 41 if they had not died. Duke Dermail is/would have been 60 (I'm not telling you whether he's alive or not yet :P), and his disowned sister, the Queen, would have been 45. King Khushrenada is 50, and Treize is 20 (this is an AU, after all)._

_I may not update before the middle of May; the workload will be huge in the next few weeks. (Assignments by the bucketfull, as well as the Soiree...) I also need to do some planning, and that will take a bit of time. But I will try to write ASAP._

_Of course, reviews are always helpful. *grin* ._


	25. Snapshot, Part I

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**:

_Firstly, to anybody who's still reading this, I'm **very, very sorry**__for taking so long with this chapter. It's been what - two months? *hides* And the chapter isn't long either._

_The truth is that I've had a major writer's block where RP was concerned, and it's taken hours just to write paragraphs that I felt satisfied with. There's also the fact that this chapter is supposed to be a launching pad that spins the beginning of the entire section three, and what I wrote never seemed to do the trick properly. So... yeah. Thus, the delay. (That, and RL kept throwing its tricks at me.)_

_Anyway, here's a promise - come hell or high fire, the next chapter will be out by the end of next week. I'm on holidays now, so I should manage. *sighs at the huge load of research*_

_Please go to **esoteric-expression.populli.net** ('h t t p:' plus the aforementioned address - ff.net strips it otherwise) to access the chapter. I've decided to put all new chappies there now because it's a lot easier to edit. The entire story over there has been revised - not too substantially, but if you look carefully, the changes are definitely noticeable. I can't be bothered loading all the changes to ff.net because this site always mucks up the formatting. Sorry for any inconvenience._

* * *

_Mariel Yuy: Hihi! *waves* Tell me when you come back from the hols, right? *looks at review* That seems like soo long ago now... *ducks* Oh, and tell me if you want me to send you Ch 25, though it might just be easier to copy it from the screen._

_Mistaria: Thank you! The chapter's out - finally ^_^;; - so you can see the next bit. *grin*_

_KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: You still around? *blushes* By now, you could have gone to Gulf Shores eight times and back... but still. If you're still reading, I hope you enjoy the next chapter._

_Stephanie Yuy: *waves to you too* Sorry about taking so long... thanks for the ice-cream, though!_

_hikari hime: Wai - you printed it out! *grin* Hehe... thank you. Here's the next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter XXV: Snapshots I**

¡@

Treize leaned back with a sigh. He had almost forgotten about the wonder of hot springs, but as gentle ripples flowed over his body, the prince found himself wishing that he could somehow bring the entire structure with him on campaigns. _At least I'd have peace and quiet,_ he mused absently. Then, the look of contentment faded as he directed his attention to his conversation with Une.

The earlier exchange had been a confusing one. If Une's informants had not served him well for years, Treize would have dismissed their information, but these men were not fools and neither was the Colonel. That meant he had to assume the information was at least partially correct. And if that was the case, Bocherik's plans were more deeply rooted than even he had suspected. The Chief Mage was, apparently, not only interested in using a puppet king to gain power for himself, but was intent on using that power to attack other nations. If that was the case, Treize could wait no longer; he had to act before Bocherik made enemies of all the neutral nations in the continent.

Then, there was the issue of Bocherik's son. Treize had no idea how Anokiv managed to take control in Sanq, but the Mage had succeeded nonetheless; either Noin was not as competent as he had estimated, or Anokiv had used less than honourable means to attain power, but either way, the Mage was definitely in control.

_ Bocherik's son. _ Treize rubbed his temple; he ought to have known better than to return to Oz so soon after a conquest, but the message had been addressed in his father's hand. He had thought - wrongly - that there had been a need for his presence. If he had known... but there was no point in dwelling on past errors. His plan had to be consolidated, and soon.

The situation in Sanq was but a by-product of the unbalanced situation in Oz, so naturally, his first step should be to eliminate Bocherik Ronterdo or somehow decimate the Mage's power. The problem lay in two areas - one, Bocherik had support from both his father and a group of nobles who gained from the current situation, and two, Bocherik was aided by a powerful but unknown entity. The prince had long suspected Duke Dermail, but the man's actions were mysterious, and furthermore, Treize could not understand the motives behind the Duke's actions... if the entity was indeed the Duke. His own investigations so far had been fruitless. But unless he had more information about this source, he could not deal with the Mage.

That meant he had to concentrate on regaining control in Sanq. Une's information had proved the Sanq soldier correct; cities had indeed been attacked by soldiers in Oz colours. Which meant that it was Anokiv's doing. But why? It served no purpose; the Ronterdos desired revenge, but Treize still believed that they would not have done anything so blatant when they knew it would not be approved of. The attacks on the cities was something of a direct challenge; a test to see how he, the prince, would respond.

Treize's brow creased. But why so suddenly? There had to be a reason for the timing of the attacks. Either the Ronterdos felt that they had enough power to resist him no matter how he chose to respond, or they had found a way to control his response. Neither thought gave him much comfort.

Suddenly, quiet footsteps alerted him to the approach of another person. Treize sank automatically into the shadows.

"Your Majesty?" The voice was tentative, and the prince relaxed. _Only a servant._

"Speak."

"His Majesty King Khushrenada requests your presence at the feast tonight. He asks that you preside the official opening of the festival."

Treize paused; somehow, he had almost forgotten about the annual celebration. He would have to request that Une replace his current manager, though the man could not really be faulted for his own reluctance to trust anybody except himself. A good pension would have to be added, then. "You may tell his Majesty that I will be present at requested."

"Very good, your Majesty." There was the soft rustle of cloth, then the echo of receding footsteps. The servant had obviously kowtowed despite the fact that there was no way that Treize could have seen it. He frowned. King Khushrenada had always been rigid in his demands about court etiquette, but since servants were supposed to be invisible, they had been exempt for as long as Treize could remember. A bow was still necessary, of course, but nothing else was. The Mage, on the other hand, was infamous for his demands for 'due submission' from lower ranks. That the servant had felt the need to scrape and bow was another indication that the Chief Mage had gained a considerable amount of power in the past year. Another problem, it seemed.

With a sigh, Treize thought back to the servant's words. The Oz festival... yet another miscalculation. Now that he was in Rondalez for the opening, he would be expected to remain in the capital for the entire twenty days of the celebrations. Treize frowned; was it possible that Bocherik had planned this also? It would definitely not be beyond the Mage, especially since it gave Anokiv more time to finish whatever it was that he seemed to be doing.

The truth was that Anokiv's actions disturbed him on another level. War was not supposed to be fought through civilians. The death of a soldier on the battlefield was honourable, but the deaths of innocent civilians were not. A soldier knew what he was fighting for, and because of this, a soldier's death was a sign of nobility, of courage, a sacrifice for the greater cause. Deaths of true soldiers made war meaningful. Deaths of civilians, on the other hand, diminished both the meaning of war and the meaning of the soldiers' sacrifices.

Shaking his head, the prince rose from the water and wrapped a towel around his waist. He needed both information and time, but the opening feast would begin in a half-candlemark. His plans would have to wait.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _***One week later *** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally was not usually a person inclined to idle chatter, but the silence was beginning to grow uncomfortable. It was not as though Wufei ignored her; in fact, his treatment of her had been almost courteous, if rather blunt at times. No, it was more that in spite of his willingness to fight if necessary, it seemed that Wufei still did not feel that he had the right to do so, and was therefore indirectly punishing himself by withdrawing.

The problem was that she could not press him. She had done enough - or perhaps even too much - in persuading him to fight earlier, but at the time, there had been a need for his assistance... and furthermore, she genuinely believed that he would have regretted it even more if he had not tried to save Jorad's life. But that did not mean he was ready to resume fighting. There were issues that she did not fully understand about him, ones which were linked strongly with his sense of honour and self-worth. Until those issues were resolved, it was unfair to ask him to fight. She was not even sure that she had done the right thing in pushing him.

With a rueful sigh, Sally shifted her pack onto her other shoulder. _But life _is_ unfair. We just have to cope in spite of it all. _Noticing that Wufei had halted, she paused and asked, "Is something wrong?"

He studied her for a moment. "We could rest, if you like."

Sally frowned briefly, then realised that he had heard the sigh and connected it with her previous movement. Smiling slightly, she answered, "I'm fine. Thanks anyway."

The youth inclined his head wordlessly. For a while, they continued on without speaking, then Wufei asked suddenly, "Who is the Elder of the Tiger Clan?"

She glanced at him. "Elder Li. Li Chong." When he waited expectantly, she elaborated, "He is... firm. But not overly so, and his respect is earned through his virtues and not through intimidation." She hesitated. " I do not know him well, and would not presume to speak of him as though I do, but he appears to be rather conservative. Not so much so that he is unwilling to change if circumstances dictate, but he does not act rashly."

After a moment, Wufei nodded. "A worthy Elder, then."

"Mm." Sally looked at him curiously. "Do you want to know for any particular reason?"

He shook his head. "I merely wished to have some understanding of his character before I sought his assistance. Or, more specifically, other peoples' perceptions of his character."

_Meaning that in the end, you will form your own opinions. _ She thought for a while. "The Tiger Clan is quite similar to what its name suggests; it is powerful, and will make a formidable fighting force, but like the hunters of the jungle, it will not serve other people readily, especially not if it has no reason to. I had originally intended to appeal to their sense of honour, to suggest that it was their duty to help achieve revenge for those in my own clan. That may not succeed. If you desire their aid, and plan on approaching the matter similarly... you may first have to ensure that you understand what honour and justice mean to you."

Wufei slowed and regarded her before smoothly resuming his original pace. "I know. It... is something I must deal with myself."

The last held a hint of a message, or so it seemed. Telling her that it was a private matter for him, and asking her to recognise it as such. Sally touched his shoulder briefly. "I understand, Wufei. Just let me know if you need me for anything."

The youth did not look at her, but after a moment, he gave a single nod. Then, the pair continued walking. And for some reason... the silence no longer seemed quite as uncomfortable as it had before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was no longer dressed in black, and neither was Heero. It felt strange. Several times, her wide sleeves had gotten snared and almost torn by branches, and she had spent several mornings feeling rather conspicious in the vibrant colours. This morning, however, her relief overwhelmed any other feelings. Colourful as the clothing had appeared to her, Hilde's choice had been perfect. Both she and Heero had blended into the crowds at Pierot with ease.

Her clothing was made of a light, subtly seductive material, but as with all gypsy clothing, it was designed for practical uses as much as for beauty. The flowing fabrics and shawls disguised the fact that she was not wearing a dress at all, but a tight-fitting top and loose pants whose flimsy coverings could be removed quickly if necessary. The decorations had been altered slightly so that unless people knew what they were searching for, there would be no resemblance to gypsy clothing. To her, however, the similarities were both obvious and comforting.

Heero's garment was less flamboyant and more elegant, as befitted his role as her assistant. He carried an _imitora_, a set of seven tunable drums which could produce long, resonating notes as well as intricate rhythmic patterns. Suri had been teaching Heero some simple techniques and he had proved surprisingly quick at learning to improvise in response to unknown tunes, but since she herself had had little experience with the instrument, the _imitora_ could not be used as anything more than an accompaniment to her own _imiti_.

Hilde had given her both instruments the night before they separated. Suri had fallen in love with the _imiti_ on sight - an ornate seven-string lyre whose frame was cleverly crafted to conceal the holes of a serunai, it could only be used by those with the gift of Wind-working. The lyre was played normally while wind was directed through specific holes of the serunai, thus eliminating the need for fingers. Soft enough to accompany her while she sang, it was nonetheless capable of creating a haunting sound, especially when combined with the unpredictable _imitora_. _[1]_

The man requests that you demonstrate now. He has made it plain that he does not expect you to be any good. Heero's voice interrupted.

Standing gracefully, she walked over to where the Mage was conversing with the innkeeper. It is not surprising, considering that I have neither recommendations or Bardic qualifications. 

Finding this inn had been a blessing; it was one frequented by passing nobility and upper-class merchants and scholars, and more importantly, the regular Bard had broken his wrist during a drunken brawl the night before. She had sensed the innkeeper's agitation and sought him out, then Heero had approached the man and offered her temporary services in return for food, accommodation and a portion of the money earned.

"Greetings, Innkeeper Rimodan." Suri had deepened her voice, bringing into it a more melodic quality and adding an emphasis on certain words as she had seen other nobles do. _Duo would be laughing if he knew that his collection of airheads would be helping me carry this image across. _As an afterthought, she called on her gift of Empathy, creating an aura of mystery around herself. "I am Songsmaker Suriku. How may I be of service?"

She refrained from rolling her eyes as the man rose and bowed, suddenly civil. "Songsmaker Suriku, it is a pleasure. I understand that you wish to perform here at the _Hanging Oak_ tonight?"

Inclining her head slightly, she answered, "I would be _most_ pleased to provide entertainment, both tonight and tomorrow. For a _nominal _charge, of course. We are merely seeking a shelter over our heads as we travel to Gonzalez for the festival."

"The festival?" The innkeeper's voice became calculating. "Have you an invitation to perform, then?"

Invitation, Heero? 

Not necessary. You only need one if you're performing for the nobility as a guest of honour. 

Ah. She leaned forward with a confidential smile. "Well, as a matter of courtesy, I'm afraid I _must_ refrain from disclosing the details, but..." She shrugged delicately, casually. "Why else would an entertainer travel to the capital at _this_ time?"

He returned an flattering beam that reminded her of a pompous snake. "I would be honoured, then." He rubbed his hands on the table. "But, if you'll pardon me for asking, how will I know that your performance will be... ah, suitable for my patrons? For as you probably know, they are nobles of some renown, and will certainly be most disappointed if the entertainment tonight isn't what they expect."

"Of _course_ I don't expect you to take me on my word. After all, so reputable an inn must certainly have high standards." _Yeah right._ "Would you like a brief demonstration, perhaps?"

"That will be most agreeable."

Suri curtsied slightly, then extracted her instrument. Heero sent her a mental query, but she shook her head slightly. There would be no need for his assistance yet. She had a piece prepared - an old tune, one that was definitely known in both Oz and Sanq, but one which she had added a twist to. Running her hand once over the strings, she perched on a stool and, skipping the usual upbeat introduction, launched directly into the vocal section... without the vocals. She hid a satisfied smile at the man's surprise.

The piece she chose was perfect for the _imiti_ - its flowing accompaniment fitted the lyre perfectly, and the serunai added an exotic tint to the melody. Instead of drawing attention to the vocal part in the usual way, Suri wove its notes into the harmony tentatively and let the music shape itself. Then, at the first note of the refrain, she took control and the voice of the serunai soared out over the crowd. She felt the audience turn towards her and, sending them a sudden, enigmatic smile, she brought the melody to an abrupt halt. The last note of the refrain quivered triumphantly in the silence.

Her audience waited, some expectant, some confused, and a few quietly appreciative. Once she was sure of their undivided attention, Suri's fingers ran with a flourish over the lyre strings, resuming the piece where it had left off. She had planned a few more variations but none were dramatic, and the piece drew to its natural close. As it was, there had been no need for anything more. The enthusiastic applause - and the odd half-drunken whoop - had been more than enough to earn her employment for the night. _[2]_

**  
  
  
  
Notes**:

_[1] - The _imitora_ (plural) create a timpani-like sound, but are more the size of bongos. Since I don't think this (the sound-depth and instrument size combo) is quite possible in RL and didn't want to mention either the timpani or the bongos, I did not add this to the description. Also, I have never played a string instrument or a wind instrument, so if the _imiti_ is in fact impossible and unrealistic, and you have any suggestions about how to change it, feel free to email me. But to my knowledge, lyres with seven or fewer strings can be played with one hand strumming across the strings and the other blocking selected strings from the back so that they do not sound, and this is what Suri does. The serunai is a Malay instrument with seven front finger holes and one at the back. I chose it because I liked the name. _^_^ 

_[2] - The piece? Well... I could leave it up to your imagination. That would probably be better, in truth. But I did in fact have a piece in mind when I wrote that part, though I thought of the variations myself. The simple version of the piece - without the intro, as was described above - can be found here, and another version with the full orchestra is here. (The variations aren't in either, of course.) I would advise getting the MP3, though - it should be pretty easy to find on WinMX or any other file sharing network. Oh, and it's name? _Kimi o Nosete, _or_ Carrying You_, from Miyazaki Hayao's _Laputa_._

_***The links work from my site, not from ff.net. Everything here gets stripped.***_


	26. Snapshot, Part II

**Disclaimer**: _Though all the GW characters from the series aren't mine, the story is, and so are the other characters. I'll send Heero after anyone who steals them!_

**Warnings**: _shounen ai, swearing, magic_

**Notes**: _There, I've been a good girl. I keep my promises! ^_^ The chapter is done. I'll try for a fortnight for the next one._

_Please go to **esoteric-expression.populli.net** ('h t t p:' plus the aforementioned address - ff.net strips it otherwise) to access the chapter. I've decided to put all new chappies there now because it's a lot easier to edit. The entire story over there has been revised - not too substantially, but if you look carefully, the changes are definitely noticeable. I can't be bothered loading all the changes to ff.net because this site always mucks up the formatting. Sorry for any inconvenience._

* * *

_KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: Thank you! XD I'm glad you enjoy the story!_

_hikari hime: Let's hope you won't have to print too often... it takes up a *lot* of paper. *glances at the pile* ^_^ Hope you like this chapter!_

_Emcron: Thank you! *blush* If you sponsor _me_, maybe I'd be able to afford a muse of my own. XD You're traveling? That sounds great... you do live in the US, right?_

_Stephanie Yuy: No fair! *pouts* *steals ice-cream anyway* Next chapter is out, so I'm going to fatten myself. ^_^_

¡@


	27. Revelations

**Roleplay**

  
Disclaimers: The GW characters do not belong to me, but the OCs and the universe do. Please do not steal them! :)  
Warnings: None that I can think of, except perhaps violence and the occasional swear word. No character bashing.

--| Part One: Duplication |-----| Part Two: Augmentation |-----| Part Three: Modification |-----| Part Four: Creation |-----| Epilogue |--

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Part Three, Chapter XXVII

**Revelations**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***_ Several days later_ *** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hmmmph..." Suri rolled over just as another low moan rustled the silence. "Heero, are you okay?"

There was no reply. She blinked several times in the darkness, then gave up and called on a small burst of fire energy. A dim glow illuminated the room and the thrashing silhouette on the opposite bed. _Damnit. _Stifling a yawn, the girl sat up and eased the shields off her Empathetic gift. It only took several instants before she gave up on that as well; Heero's shields were somewhat weaker in his sleep, but all she could discern was a jumble of negative emotions and since he was obviously having a nightmare, those were neither surprising nor helpful.

Pulling on a robe, she slid off the bed and padded across the floorboards. "Heero, wake up." When he showed no sign of reacting, she frowned slightly. Come on, Heero. Wake up. 

_This isn't going to work._ Suri had two options - she could either wake the Mage physically or give his mind a mental jostling - but neither choice seemed particularly appealing. In fact, if either move was interpreted as an attack, there was a very good chance that they would attract some very unnecessary attention. She paused in thought for some time, biting her lip as Heero's movements grew more distressed, then moved back to her own bed and concentrated. Before long, the room's temperature had grown dramatically.

_Come on, Heero. Any hotter and it'll spread to other rooms. _To her dismay, the agitation only increased. Suri hesitated for one more instant, then hurried across the room once more and shook Heero's shoulder. Heero, _wake up!_

IThe Mage sprang up, his mind lashing out wildly. She slammed a shield around him but she knew it would not last; his Psychic gift was more powerful than hers. "Heero!"

The youth's eyes flew open and darted around the room frantically before some degree of understanding dawned. There was a brief pause, then the attacks stopped and Suri breathed a sigh of relief. Heero stared at her for several moments. Finally, he closed his eyes and exhaled. "I apologise for waking you."

"Don't worry about it." Glancing at his expression, she asked quietly, "Nightmare?" He gave a curt nod but did not reply. Suri pondered leaving him alone, but his emotional state was unsteady enough to dissuade her. After a hesitation, she sat down beside him. "Does it happen often?"

He shifted slightly. "Somewhat."

_I never realised; he normally shares a tent with Duo, and nobody ever speaks about things like this._ She rather wished they did, though, because at least she might have a clue about how to handle the situation. As it was, she had nothing to work from, so she studied him out of the corner of her eye while she tried to start a conversation. "I didn't know how to wake you up." There was no answer, so she continued casually, "I thought you would wake if the temperature grew hot enough, but that seemed to make things worse."

Heero shot her a sharp look, then nodded almost invisibly. "It added to the realism."

She hid her surprise. "I'm sorry."

A small shrug. "Not your fault."

The silence lasted for some time, then Suri ventured, "You sounded like you were in pain."

"...forget about it."

Suri frowned slightly. The evasion confirmed her statement, but she could not think of an occasion when he had been hurt so badly, unless... "You were dreaming about what happened during the Master exam, weren't you? That's why the heat made it worse."

Heero froze. The cobalt eyes regarded her momentarily, then turned away. "Leave it be. It won't happen again."

_So I was right. _The pieces of the puzzle began falling into place, and she found herself staring at the youth beside her. "This was why you changed, wasn't it? Not because your gift was taken away, and not because you wanted revenge." She met his intense gaze. "It was because you were scared."

Heero looked like he had been slapped. Standing in a single, swift motion, he repeated himself in a dangerously low tone. "Leave it be."

She shook her head resolutely. "When the energy was unleashed, you lost the ability to control it. There was nothing you could do as it went into your channels, and there was nothing you could do when the Masters terminated your gift."

"Shut up!" The words came out as a half snarl, and she could see the nails biting into his palm.

_I'm sorry, Heero. _Standing so she was level with her companion, she continued ruthlessly, "You don't want to feel that vulnerability. That's why you want Anokiv Ronterdo so badly, isn't it? It's more than revenge - you want to eliminate the possibility of it ever happening again. And that's why you work so hard to perfect your other abilities."

"You don't know a damned thing!"

Shaking her head slowly, she said, "I think I do, Heero. Why else would you be so desperate to stop me talking?"

Heero's gaze met hers in silence, his expression as inscrutable as ever. She stared back. After an eternity, the youth closed his eyes, his voice cracking as he whispered, "Just leave me alone, Suri."

Suri found her heart aching and realised with a start that her Empathy channels were still wide open. _Oh Heero..._ She almost closed them, but decided against it and moved instead to take Heero's arm, pulling him down to a sitting position. With a few deft moves, she 'encouraged' him to give in to the tears lurking beneath the surface and waited quietly as the sobs began. When she felt that he was ready, she reached an arm out, drawing him into an embrace.

After a while, the sobs died and Suri released her companion with a slight smile. "Feeling better?"

He stared at her suspiciously, weighing several factors in his mind. Finally, he decided that lying would achieve nothing and gave a nod. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

She tilted her head. "You didn't stop me." _In fact, part of you wanted it, whether you realised it or not. You mind wouldn't have let me through Empathetically if that wasn't the case._

A pause. "No, I didn't." In other words, agreeing with her. Looking up, Heero said quietly, "This... remains a secret."

"Of course," Suri answered. She hesitated. "I'm sorry."

He regarded her thoughtfully. "Are you?"

She half-smiled. "For attacking you verbally... no, not really. But for upsetting you, yes."

Heero nodded. "I thought as much."

They sat in silence for some time, then Suri eased his discomfort by changing the topic. "Nightmares are nothing to be ashamed of, you know." He glanced at her questioningly and she sighed. "You can ask Quatre; I've interrupted his sleep many a time."

He blinked once. "What about?" A hesitation. "Or should I not ask?"

She glanced at him, her lips quirking slightly. "It's only fair, I guess." The girl looked down. "It's the killing. It never occurred to me that I would have to until I did it for the first time."

Heero considered her words, nodding to himself as they clicked in his mind. He had wondered about how a girl who had never been trained to kill could handle it so well, but he had always assumed that she had been exposed to bloodshed from an early age. Apparently, the assumption was unfounded. "I understand."

"I know." She would never have told him otherwise. "Heero..."

"Hmm?"

"You'll keep trying not to care until Anokiv is dead, won't you?"

"Yes." There was no point in denying it, much as he would prefer to avoid the topic.

"But when he dies?"

Heero's body grew still. "...I don't know."

Suri met his eyes. "Maybe you can think about it. After all... who are you really trying to protect yourself from?" With that, she rose and touched his shoulder lightly. "Good night, Heero."

The youth did not move for a long time. Only when she withdrew her Elemental gift and let the room return to its darkened state did he slip back under the covers, and even then, he remained awake for long after his companion fell asleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The prince studied the assembly of men wordlessly. He normally found Council meetings a rather useless waste of time, but after prolonged periods of absence, he always deemed it necessary to observe for himself the minor, almost invisible shifts in the power balance. For that reason, he always insisted that the Colonel Une be present as his advisor; her sense of judgement was keen, and there had been times when she managed to notice details that he himself missed. Her presence to his right was largely ignored.

To his left, King Khushrenada was pretending to be both aware and interested in the heated discussions, but he was not particularly convincing. In fact, he was even less convincing than he usually was, which only increased Treize's uneasiness about Bocherik. Further to his right, the three other military commanders of Oz were once again involved in a much-repeated argument with the other nobles in the Council.

Field Marshal Noventa, though the Chief Commander of the Oz military, was a pacifist by nature. While he held a position of respect within the military, he was a firm believer in attempting to solve problems by other means, and in utilising force only when necessary. The Commander of Magical Forces - General Ventei - was less immovable in his views, but like Noventa, he disliked unnecessary enmities and believed that the war with Sanq could have been avoided or at least been executed in a more honourable manner.

General Septem, on the other hand, had always deemed Sanq a danger, and while he did not entirely approve of the 'executions', he did not see any point in dwelling on past actions, and was therefore lobbying for the permission to 'follow through' with their campaign. Treize had asked Une to place extra spies on him for this reason; while the Commander of Armed Forces was generally a rational man, his rather aggressive views meant that he could be persuaded to side with Bocherik more easily than the others could.

The Chief Mage of Oz sat on the King's opposite side, and wore a calm smile as he subtly vied for the aggressive solutions. Several of the nobles - especially the younger ones - were firmly on his side, having been convinced through a combination of seemingly logical arguments and by other less honourable means. Many of the other nobles were undecided, either confused by the barrage of different arguments and solutions or unwilling to risk the wrath of other Council members by taking sides.

Outwardly, he too was one of those people, though his seeming undecidedness was caused by neither reason. As the Commander of Special Operations - attacks that required a concentrated mix of arms and Magic - Treize had never been one to voice his opinions on various issues, and was therefore not expected to do so in this case either. None could force his opinions since he was the crowned Prince and the heir to the Oz throne, and in the few cases when Bocherik had attempted to do so, he had simply redirected the question at one of the lesser nobles, who was then obliged to answer in his stead.

"...even if there had been a danger previously, that danger has most definitely been removed by now. Further aggression will achieve nothing."

Bocherik regarded the Field Marshal almost benevolently. "Yet is this not the worst time to show weakness? Our position is established, yes, but it is by no means stable. Besides, it is so soon after the initial attack that we are almost definitely still in danger of rebellions."

"Exactly," Septem addressed the assembly. "To remove that threat once and for all, we must take advantage of the current situation. We must press our advantage and show the people who is in charge, and if the military is needed, so be it."

Ventei and Noventa exchanged glances, then former spoke up. "Why must this be achieved through aggressive means? We have already made our power clear, and I am certain that there is a great deal of fear and unrest in Sanq at this time. Rather than increasing those, we ought to make it clear to the people that they will be in no danger as long as they cooperate. We should offer at least a semblance of freedom and goodwill, for we would appear to be tyrants otherwise."

"And how do you suggest we keep them from rebelling?" Minister Tyrel interrupted.

Noventa turned to the elderly man. "Demilitarisation, of course. We can all benefit from a prosperous Sanq, as long as its citizens cannot harm us. If we make them understand our intent, they will realise that we are more powerful, but that they need not fear us. A peaceful coexistence can be established, and in the long term, that will be more practical than keeping control through aggression, unless you intend to keep a large part of our forces in Sanq indefinitely."

The Field Marshal had struck the right chord with some of the nobles whose opinions stemmed primarily from a desire for wealth, and also with others who did not see the point in tying up Oz's available forces. Treize hid his relief; this saved him from having to draw attention to himself by speaking out. He would have, had he deemed it necessary, but he preferred to remain inconspicuous or as Une described, mysterious. As long as he appeared an enigma, people tended to either overlook him or stay wary of him, both of which left him more time to consolidate his plans and therefore suited his purposes rather well.

Treize crossed his arms over his chest casually, listening to the remainder of the meeting without participating. When the arguments started to repeat themselves, the prince finally spoke up and called for a vote. As he expected, military action was not yet popular enough to gain the approval of the majority, but the number of supporters had increased and he expected it to rise even more in the near future. Keep a closer eye on Bocherik if it is at all possible. 

Une did not even blink. And on his new supporters, I presume? 

Yes. 

Consider it done. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The girl beckoned the figure closer. "Where is his Grace?"

"At a Council meeting, lady."

Dorothy dismissed the servant with a wave of her hand. Raising the china cup to her lips, she took a small sip and wrinkled her nose slightly; the tea was more bitter than she liked. For a moment, she toyed with the idea of calling for another cup, but decided against the idea. Bored as she was, there was no point in making life more difficult for servants who were - when all matters were considered - rather capable people who had proven themselves able to keep silent when it was required of them.

Council meetings normally ran for the greater part of a day. If she could be certain that Bocherik had not somehow managed to install spies in the estate, she would engage herself in Magical practice, but as it was, doing so might compromise her image of being heavily injured. The truth was that although she had pretended otherwise in front of Anokiv Ronterdo, most of her wounds had healed days ago. Thinking of the Mage made her smile; it amused her grandfather that Anokiv had Teleported to Oz to check on her, and in truth, it rather amused her as well.

Even though Anokiv thought that the Duke was under his control, Dorothy knew this was not the case and never would be. The same applied to her - she was loyal only to her grandfather. There was, however, one thing that she had kept from Duke Dermail for the past week: her exchange with the youth who named himself '04'. If she mentioned it, the Duke would certainly press her for details, and she did not doubt that he would eventually uncover the doubt that the conversation left in her mind.

She was showing weakness, he would sneer. Only the weak would be moved to doubt by such ideals. Peace was for fools. It was a word people threw into the air without comprehending, a motivation that could not possibly succeed in a world ruled by human beings. Only influence mattered. Influence gained through prestige and power and wealth could guarantee an unchallenged existence, and ultimately, these were the only things that a person would need.

Once upon a time, she had refused to believe him. Once upon a time, she believed in peace, and in the goodness of human beings. Once upon a time... she had been a fool.

_*** flash ***_

_"Grandfather?" The twelve year old stepped hesitatingly into the room. _[1]

_"So you're here," came the voice of the Duke. He turned to face her, his arms clasped behind his back. For a long moment, he simply regarded her in silence. Then, he smiled. "Dorothy, your father is dead." Blue eyes stared up at him in alarm. "His funeral is arrange for later today. Go and dress appropriately."_

_Had she not been raised by a man like Duke Dermail, Dorothy may have reacted like any other girl would have. As it was, her next question contained only the smallest quiver. "H-how did he die?"_

_To her shock, a slow smile spread across her grandfather's face. "In battle, of course. Fighting for the stupid, meaningless ideal called 'peace'." He shook his head mockingly. "He was a fool, your father."_

_Dorothy brushed angrily at the moisture that threatened to fall "Don't call my father a fool!"_

_A raised eyebrow. "Then what was he?"_

_The girl swallowed, but said defiantly, "He fought for a noble cause!"_

_"And where exactly did that leave him, my dear?" The Duke's lips curved condescendingly. "Don't be an idealist, Dorothy. Do you really think peace is possible when history has proved again and again that war is a part of everyone? Conflict is part of the human nature. Those who wish to deny that fact seek the entity called 'peace', but where has it gotten them? Onto a battlefield, fighting and dying, of course. Peace is a lie for the weak."_

_She blinked at him, lured in spite of herself as he continued, "Listen to me, Dorothy. Forget what your father taught you. Humans don't need peace. In this world, the strong - the ones with influence and wealth - have power over those who do not. If you are strong enough, ruthless enough, you can guarantee yourself everything that can possibly matter. People who are strong will rule. People who are weak - who lack power or who believe in and are driven by idealistic notions - are just tools to be used and discarded."_

_He gazed at her, the challenge written in his eyes. "What are you going to be, Dorothy? The weak... or the strong?"_

_*** end flash ***_

He had, of course, predicted her reply. She realised that soon after the conversation took place, but by then, she had been convinced. How could she not, when all the evidence was there in her face? The world had no place for peace, not when conflict was so deeply enrooted in the human psyche. That was the belief that bonded them both to the Ronterdos, who were driven by the desire for power and revenge.

Dorothy took another sip, a grim smile touching her lips. There was another reason why she remained with her grandfather, though he had yet to realise it. He desired money, power, influence. She wished for those also, but they were only secondary - what she wanted most of all was to show the people what fools they were to believe in peace. Her dream was to wage and be part of a war on such a scale as had never been seen before, to shock the world into believing that unless something drastic changed, war and conflict would always exist.

The smile faded. She had been a fool once, one who believed in idealistic notions, but she would be a fool no longer. She, Dorothy Catalonia, had seen that peace was a futile dream. Soon, she would convince the world of the fact too. And perhaps... perhaps... the world would be shocked enough to change, once and for all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally glanced at her companion. "We're here, Wufei."

The youth gazed around, his eyes taking in and analysing every visible detail of the Clansground. He nodded in approval of the way the area camouflaged into the Atsuari forest, directed polite nods at the curious children playing around and noted the organised rows of huts and the slightly larger one towards the centre of the area. Finally, Wufei Chang of the Dragon Clan turned to face her. "Shall we proceed, then?"

A slight smile crossed her face as she nodded, then knelt to speak with one of the older children. The boy's eyes widened, then he bowed. "Li Ming of the Tiger Clan, at your service." He paused in thought for a moment. "Forgive my delay. Perhaps you would like to follow me to the Elder's tent while I send someone to find the Elder?"

Wufei half-bowed graciously, hiding his smile. "That will be most appreciated, Li Ming. I am Chang Wufei, of the Clan of Dragons. I am assuming you have met Po Sally?"

Ming nodded, his expression serious. "Yes, I have." He flushed mildly. "I am afraid I had forgotten, though. That was why I delayed in greeting you. My apologies."

Sally smiled. "Don't worry about it. Is Elder Li occupied?"

The boy frowned. "I don't think so. He should still be in the central hut. Please follow me." The trio walked among the hut, slowing as they reached an especially ornate building, one whose doorframe was decorated with ancient symbols and ornaments. "Will you please wait while I inform the Elder of your arrival?" At their nod, the boy disappeared into the building, and moments later, reappeared to usher them in.

Wufei and Sally followed him into the building, pausing once they passed the threshold and offering formal bows. A deep voice spoke up, uttering in the olden tongue, "Huan ying ni men. Please, come closer."

The pair straightened and walked towards the centre of the room where the Elder sat. As they approached, foorsteps approached from the corridor and Wufei glanced sideways just as a figure entered the room. For a moment, they stared at each other in shock, then Wufei gasped, _"Father?"_

**  
  
  
  
Notes**:

_[1] - I'm not sure how old Dorothy was when her father (Major Catalonia) died, so twelve it will be because that corresponds with the times and ages mentioned in Chapter 24. _

_[2] - Mandarin for 'welcome'._

*** Two additional notes: firstly, if you wish to join my **updates list**, please specify accordingly in either an email or an review; secondly, all my **responses to the reviews** you leave through the links at the bottom of the chapter will go here. Thank you! ^_^ ***

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	28. Infiltration

**Roleplay**

  
Disclaimers: The GW characters do not belong to me, but the OCs and the universe do. Please do not steal them! :)  
Warnings: None that I can think of, except perhaps violence and the occasional swear word. No character bashing.

--| Part One: Duplication |-----| Part Two: Augmentation |-----| Part Three: Modification |-----| Part Four: Creation |-----| Epilogue |--

* * *

Part Three, Chapter XXVIII

**Infiltration**

He settled beside Quatre, stretching his legs slightly as Zechs finished conversing with the Maguanacs and began to walk over to them. Their surrounding trees were dappled in light - not the red glow of dusk but the almost blinding gold of noon - and the mating calls of the odd _iruha_ could still be heard. The Prince had ordered an early halt because the Capital was only several candlemarks away and they did not wish to make their presence known. As a result, it was not yet nightfall, and Zechs had taken advantage of the time to arrange a meeting.

Trowa watched as two of the Maguanacs separated themselves from the group and strode off into the distance, presumably to check the Capital for suspicious behaviour and for other causes of concern. He had offered to do the task himself but neither Rashid or Zechs had seen any need for it; from what they had managed to gather, the city was still functioning normally. Or it was if one discounted the fact that it was held under military control. They were all certain, however, that any useful information would have to be gleaned from within the palace complex itself, and an appropriate course of action therefore had to be decided upon.

"They've gone into the Capital," said Zechs, confirming Trowa's assumption as he folded against a sturdy trunk. "We can begin if you're both ready."

Quatre's raised an eyebrow. "Are Rashid and Abdul not joining us?"

A headshake. "The Maguanacs will not be playing an active part in our infiltration plan, so Rashid said that they would be content with being told what we decide to do. If they have any opinions, they will inform us."

Trowa's hand paused on its way to his supplies. "And Abdul?"

"He will provide us with Magical assistance if it is deemed undetectable, but Rashid has suggested - and I concur - that the Maguanacs be kept secret until an emergency or until we decide to come out into the open. That way, we have a backup if something goes wrong."

After a moment, Trowa reached for his pack again. "That makes sense. They're our allies, after all."

The Prince frowned but Quatre nodded musingly. "Yes, they are. If their presence is discovered, Anokiv will be expecting us too, and infiltration would become considerably more difficult."

An 'ah' of understanding. "So that's agreed. Now how will we organise the infiltration?"

Quatre glanced at Trowa, but the brown-haired youth avoided his gaze and spoke directly to the Prince. "You need me inside."

Zechs studied both of them thoughtfully, then returned Trowa's look with a steady one of his own. "Do I?"

"Nobody else could do the job as well." Trowa's tone remained even.

Zechs did not object to that, for it was true. Instead, the Prince turned to Quatre. "What do you think?"

The blonde's eyes lifted towards Trowa, and for a long moment, the two of them merely stared at each other. Finally, Quatre looked down. "We need somebody inside."

Trowa gave him the merest flicker of a smile, then faced Zechs again. "I'll be careful."

Zechs was about to agree, but Quatre spoke up unexpectedly. "Trowa, you can't just go in there."

The other youth regarded him. "Why?"

"You may be able to get in, and to do so undetected, but your options will still be limited." A pause, then a slow, deep breath as Quatre looked up. "You're going to have to join up with Anokiv himself."

Trowa's body stilled and Zechs shot the blonde a sharp glance. Quatre's face held a hint of trepidation, but his voice had been resolute. The prince turned questioningly towards Trowa. "What about you?"

The youth remained silent for some time, then gave a single nod. "It's a good plan. A workable one." He turned to address Quatre directly. "What position were you thinking of?"

Quatre thought for some time, then finally replied, "Go in as a soldier. Make sure your performance is extraordinary, that it attracts attention, because you need that to get an audience with Anokiv Ronterdo. Tell him - and nobody else - that you are in fact an assassin, and that your agenda is in fact to enact revenge on the noble cheated your family of money and drove you off the land leased to you. Say... Baron V'quez. He was crooked, and he died on Zolt'e."

Trowa listened intently, his eyebrow rising at the concocted story but making no other comment except, "Go on."

The blonde gazed at them both, slightly self-conscious, then nodded. "Anokiv will probably tell you that all the nobles died, then you can put on a righteous act about being denied your right to justice. He may find that amusing, and it will lower his guard as well as validate your story. Then, from what I know of him, I think he will attempt to test your abilities. Fail his set task in a way that proves you are nothing but a well-trained and rather brainless soldier," Quatre glanced up apologetically, "and he'll mentally disregard you. You'll have both a reputation as someone important to Anokiv and the lack of respect necessary to spy on him."

Trowa stared at him for a long moment, then gave a single nod. His expression was carefully neutral.

"That was very detailed for an improvised plan, wasn't it?" Zechs commented, a thoughtful half-smile contrasting with his penetrating gaze.

The Healer hesitated, then gave in to a sheepish shrug. "I... had considered it before."

Trowa waited until their eyes met, then sent privately, I'm glad you did not leave my fate to a moment's whim, Quatre. The 'voice' was accompanied by a brief mental touch and a small smile.

You forget that it's my fate too, Quatre replied softly. Or do you not remember the story of the lifebond? 

A small silence. I remember. Trowa's eyes grew shadowed, and his hand brushed his friend's almost invisibly. I truly will be careful, Quatre. Trust me. 

The Healer's answering glance was sad. I do trust you, but the in the end, everything comes down to Sanq. Each of us would give our life for the cause without any hesitation. If you weren't willing to do that, you wouldn't be the person I know. But if you do... 

Then I'd have been true to myself, and I would be somebody who deserves your friendship. 

Their gazes met again, earnestly. You deserve so much more than that, Trowa... if we survive, I'd give you everything I have in a heartbeat. 

'When', not 'if'. That is clichéd, perhaps, but it is the truth because we will succeed. We must. 

The Healer's lips curved slightly, but he did not reply. Zechs sensed their conversation drawing to a close and interjected quietly, "So the plan is finalised?"

"Mm."

"You only have six sevendays left. In that time, you will have to gain Anokiv's attention, instigate yourself and obtain whatever information you can. Is that enough time?"

"It will have to be." The tone gave nothing away.

"Very well." Zechs noted the position of the sun, then said, "The fires are burning, and I smell food. Should we continue after we have eaten?"

The other two youths nodded and rose together, and they walked towards the aroma of the Maguanacs' cooking. Trowa cleared his mind of the plan they had just discussed; there were holes in it, gaps which would have to be filled and details which would have to be modified, but those could wait until later. For now, food was waiting and he had learnt many months ago that fresh meat was a commodity to be savoured on long, arduous journeys such as these.

Especially when the endings of the journeys were so unpredictable and uncertain. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pair stared at each other for a long, shocked moment, and the other peoples' eyes darted between them. Had the Clansmen not all been raised to be attentive about what they revealed to others, many mouths would have been hanging open, but even as it was, nobody managed to keep their expressions completely neutral. Wufei swallowed but could not speak.

Finally, the man breathed, "Ni guo ran zai sheng." _[1]_

There was a pregnant pause, and all the Clansmen's eyes became riveted on Wufei. The youth found the presence of mind to lower himself in a traditional kowtow. "Yes, Father. I am alive."

Chang Wulong took three long strides towards his son then stopped, running onyx eyes over the youth's body. "Your condition?"

A flicker of surprise, but Wufei returned evenly, "As well as can be expected. I am aware of no immediate danger."

His father nodded in satisfaction, reaching out to help him rise. _[2] _"Your mother will be glad to see you well, but we are being amiss. I should not have interrupted while you were greeting Elder Li Chong." With that, the man directed a respectful nod at the Elder and took a step back. Wufei glanced at Sally, then bowed deeply. As tradition demanded, he did not speak; ordinary members of a Clan could not address the Elder of another Clan until their presence had been explicitly acknowledged.

For several moments, Elder Li Chong regarded him from his trone-like chair. "It would appear, Chang Wufei, that the tides of fate blow rather unexpectedly. I am Elder Li Chong of the Tiger Clan and you are very welcome within these Clansgrounds." His gaze became penetrating. "I think that you would not be surprised to learn that until recently, we had thought you deceased in all except spirit." An eye flickered sideways. "I had assumed similarly myself until your father enlightened me of another possibility several days ago."

After a brief pause in acceptance of the direct address by the Elder, Wufei straightened. "I am most grateful for your hospitality. I survived by chance, and endured until now with the assistance of my companions. Until today, I had no knowledge regarding my parents' wellbeing either."

"I assumed as much." The Elder turned to Sally, who had been observing the events in silence. "Elder Po Sally, you are most welcome within these Clangrounds also. I am sorry to hear of the unfortunate fate encountered by those in your Clan."

"I thank you for your condolences, Elder." Sally clasped her hands in greeting. "And for your hospitality also."

Li Chong gave a single nod, then turned to address them both. "Do you have a purpose in visiting the Tiger Clan? I shall assume you are companions."

Wufei and Sally exchanged quick glances, but Wufei was the one who spoke. "We are companions, yes, and we do in fact have a purpose in seeking you. If you do not object, I will first tell you of what we have encountered on our journey thus far."

The Elder of the Tiger Clan settled into his chair and gestured for them to do similarly. "Very well. Let us hear this story, then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mureia Schbeiker fell into step behind the gypsy moving slowly towards the funeral pyre. The sound of chanting drifted through the heavy foliage, distorted eerily by the mountains that encircled their camp. Occasionally, the ancient words would be drowned beneath the wild beat of the _imitora _and the mournful wails of the _imiti_ _[3],_ but they rose again with solemn dignity at each refrain.

_Uon le taq ei v-run ta  
Le ruq tuoir-u i-ma  
Me zi-ei kuior v-run na  
Ti uon le ge-iciou roh..._

The gypsy ceremonies of death were many and varied, but by far the most detailed were those which marked the passing of Elders, and those which marked an unnatural and dishonourable death. When both these conditions held true, the resulting ceremony occupied many members of the Camp for at least two sevendays. She and her mother had been participants for all four.

As they emerged into the small, firelit clearing, Mureia's voice lifted to join with Silai's in the chanting, and around them, the sounds of the other inbstruments faded gradually away. Soon, their voices were all that could be heard.

_Uon le taq ei v-run ta  
Le ruq tuoir-u i-ma  
Me zi-ei kuior v-run na  
Ti uon le ge-iciou roh..._

Once, twice, three times. With each repeat, they each reduced their range by one note until by the sixth refrain, their chanting was an augmented fifth apart. It was a haunting sound, one that Mureia had only heard once before. Except that this time, she was part of it herself.

_Me zi-ei kuior v-run na  
Ti uon le ge-iciou roh..._

The embers in the pyre was blazing, and the Royal's head piece rested solemnly at the vertex formed by three identical logs. Time was almost up; once the flames had destroyed enough of the logs to make them crumble, the head piece would fall and the final phase of the ceremony would begin.

_Ti uon le ge-iciou roh..._

A loud crackle. Some three dozen heads looked up from their bowed positions, and as though spurred by their attention, the fire suddenly flared up and licked at one of the logs. Blackness ran up its length, spreading hurriedly, until a small crack formed near its base. Several intakes of breath could be heard, and all eyes became rivited on the head piece as it trembled dangerously on the now unstable structure. Then it fell, sinking downwards in slow motion, and was swallowed up by the dancing flames.

_Ti uon le ge-iciou roh..._

Mureia and her mother faced each other across the pyre, moving their fingers in an intricate pattern and murmuring the chant one last time. The ritual had reached its completion.

_Ti uon le ge-iciou roh._

May peace your departed-spirit find. _[4]_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _*** Four days later *** _~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She surveyed the men before her, accepting their salutes with a nod and a smile. Some officers preferred to keep their distances from their soldiers - presumably to ensure that a mixture of awe and fear remained - but Lucrezia Noin had never seen the point in such plays of power. She gained respect by proving herself in both training and battle, and she retained trust by turning the men from underlings to comrades. In her eyes, anybody who was unwilling to do either did not deserve to be a leader.

Unfortunately, her disdain of such leaders did not mean they did not exist.

Noin was supposed to be in control of the situation in Sanq. The Special Operations sector of the Oz military was led by Prince Khushrenada, and beneath him, there were three main authorities - Colonel Une, who was in charge of a small team that ran secret investigations and attacks and in whom the Prince appeared to place a great deal of trust; Adept Ronterdo, the Mage who managed all the Magic-related details of the sector; and she herself, Lieutenant Noin, who oversaw the training and allocating of all the armed forces. Since both the Prince and Une were otherwise occupied, the position of leadership had fallen to her.

At the beginning, things had run relatively smoothly, but after a sevenday or so, Noin began to notice some oddities that sent her directly into a state of alertness. They were only minor details - men hesitating minutely before obeying orders, hushed whispered that changed into bawdy battle songs as she approached... minor details, yes, and not suspicious in themselves, but she would like to think that she knew her own people well enough to testify that such things rarely happened before. Somebody was interfering, and it was not difficult to determine who.

She had never trusted Anokiv Ronterdo. Treize had not done so either, but in his case, it was for more political reasons. Noin, on the other hand, tended to judge leaders on how they treated their people, and Anokiv had failed on every score. He treated his servants like slaves, ruling by fear and enforcing unimportant rules with an iron fist, and he proved no more respectable in his dealings with the soldiers. If anything, his sneers and sarcasm grew more pronounced, and his desire to appear in control seemed to increase. It was a combination that grated her.

Nonetheless, Anokiv's position both in court and as a Mage had been too crucial to change, so he remained in the sector and in a station of command. But where he had always been her equal in terms of rank, he now seemed to have gained an upper hand. Somehow, the Mage had maneuvered his way into a position where he could influence her forces, and he had taken full advantage of that position. Noin was losing control of her people. And worst of all, she could not do anything about it.

Anokiv's strength lay in fear. The men feared him - they were terrified, in fact - and he knew it. Those who offended the Mage usually ended up being convicted for crimes that they could not possibly have committed, but which contained so much evidence against them that not even Noin could prove their innocence. Other offenders simply disappeared without explanation. She had tried to find some evidence that would link the incidences to him but to no avail, and although these cases were supposed to remain secret, details usually circulated like wildfire.

Reigning through fear was not a strategy Noin liked and was definitely not suitable for long-term purposes, but even she had to admit that it left little room for retaliation. The men believed that the Mage could hurt them; if he issued an order that contradicted hers, they always wanted to obey his. How could she tell them not to do so when they were so terrified? It would convince them that she did not care for their wellbeing, and she would lose one of the only cards she still held. Yet somehow, she needed to regain authority before Anokiv sent her people into danger. And she would have to do so soon.

The problem was that she believed that Anokiv's controls were Magical in nature, that he was playing on the men's fear to subtly push them into acting a certain way. She herself had no trace of Magic - what she did possess was a natural Psychic shield, courtesy of her partially royal blood, and although it was not as strong as the one the Prince held, it was enough to prevent her mind from being read like an open book. Or rather, it stopped Anokiv from doing so without her knowledge; he could force his way in, but she would know. Her men had no such shields.

"Lieutenant Noin?" The voice was rather hesitant.

She turned around to face an unfamiliar soldier, who shifted uncomfortably and lowered his gaze. _A newcomer, then._ "And you...?"

Confusion crossed his features for an instant, then the youth snapped into attention. "Mikel Androis of the third division, Lieutenant."

The name rang a bell. Noin ran a critical eye over the youth; yes, there was more than a trace of resemblance there. "Would you happen to be related to Officer Androis?"

"He is my uncle, Lieutenant." An undeniable tone of respect, even admiration.

_But Nita is of the second division_. "Have you been in contact with him since you came here?" A negative - she had thought as much. "Well, tell Officer Mair that you have my permission to visit Officer Androis in the second barracks when both you and he are off duty. Now, do you have a message for me?"

"Ah... yes." Mikel flushed slightly, and a flicker of amusement appeared in Noin's eyes; this lad was his uncle's polar opposite. The shyness would disappear soon, though. It always did. "Officer Mair asks you to see him when you are unavailable. It is related to a new recruit."

_Interesting,_ Noin mused, then smiled once more. "Thank you, Mikel. And welcome to the Special Operations sector. It was a good choice." _Or at least, it had been a good choice once upon a time... and it will become so again._

The youth ducked his head. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

She nodded and began walking towards the training grounds, then paused and turned. "Oh, and Mikel?" He looked up. "The word 'lieutenant' grows rather cumbersome during battle. In unofficial situations, people call me Noin."

He looked rather startled, but Noin simply stood and waited expectantly. Finally, Mikel answered, "Yes... Noin."

Noin smiled and moved off. Both Androis and Mair were extremely canny and competent Officers, as was Rudo of the seventh division - the last two remained utterly unaffected by Anokiv because they had Psychic and Empathetic powers respectively, and Androis simply could not be attacked because he had suffered an accident in his youth that rendered him unable to use or be affected by Magical powers. They were perhaps the only three whom she trusted at the moment, though even that trust had become cautious.

"Officer Mair." Her voice carried easily over the din of swords clanging against armour. The soldiers paused and she raised a quizzical eyebrow, spurring them into action once more. Some even grinned at her; she was glad, for it meant that they had not yet become so fearful that they dared not be friendly with her. The fact that they were in a familiar fighting formation probably helped.

Mair strode across the field to meet her, beckoning to someone who had been in the left wing. "Noin, meet Triton Bloom, our newest recruit. Triton, this is Lieutenant Noin. She commands the ten fighting divisions of Oz's Special Operations sector."

Noin regarded the youth before her, noting the muscles and the fluid grace with which he bowed. "Welcome, Triton. Where do you come from?"

"The outer regions of Sanq, Lieutenant."

"Interesting." She paused. "Why join an Oz army?"

The youth looked up, his one visible eye giving her a piercing stare. "Politics matters little to me, Lieutenant."

"...I see."

Noin sent a questioning gaze to Mair, who ordered, "Triton, give Lieutenant Noin the demonstration you gave me when you came two days ago."

"Yes, sir."

The youth stepped backwards, launching directly into a series of lunges and rolls that even she could not have managed. Then, three small daggers appeared from nowhere, and threw them towards her without breaking his rhythm or hesitating to take aim. Each missed her face by the breadth of a hair. When he stopped, she spun around to see the daggers buried - directly beneath each other - in the trunk of a nearby tree.

Triton's voice spoke up quietly behind her. "I apologise for not warning you beforehand."

Noin turned. "That was impressive, Triton. Would you mind telling me how you acquired such skills?"

"My family was part of a circus troupe, Lieutenant."

"Ah." That explanation made more sense than any other would have; in fact, his use of past tense explained something else too. "I am glad you joined us."

The youth bowed, and Mair gave him a gesture of dismissal. After Triton left, the officer turned to her. "I just thought you would like to learn about him firsthand."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I'm glad you called me, Mair. He is... intriguing."

"To say the least. I will notify you at any sign of problems."

"That will be appreciated." The Officer bowed slightly and moved back to where the soldiers were now resting and barked a series of commands at them. They stood with varying degrees of enthusiasm and drifted away from the grounds.

Noin's gaze then focused on a lone, brown-haired youth, watching as he straightened from where he had been leaning against a tree. Without saying a single word, he followed the group to the barracks. Everything about him screamed to her of danger, and yet, for some reason, she did not feel threatened. In fact, she was certain that much of what he told her had been true, and her instincts were rarely wrong when it came to people. Triton Bloom was an enigma, yes. But whether he was a friend or a foe still needed to be seen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trowa was satisfied with his progress; unbeknownst to the Lieutenant, she had been trailed by someone during their encounter. He was not certain of who it was, but judging by the fact that the shadow had kept itself hidden, Trowa was relatively certain that the spy was acting on Anokiv's orders. For that reason, he had made his display especially impressive - even the launch of the daggers at a tree directly behind Noin was calculated. In the instant when she turned around, he had shot a glance at the shadow, informing whoever it was on no uncertain terms that he had noticed it.

To the shadow's credit, it did not disappear; it simply tilted its head slightly in acknowledgment. He did not give its presence away. Instead, he had waited, and sure enough, he received a secret message that evening. The message was direct and clear, and now lay as a pile of ashes in the fire.

Trowa Barton - or Triton Bloom - was to join Anokiv Ronterdo in his quarters. He would meet the one who had massacred hundreds of his fellow countrymen within the past year. Beneath the veil of his hair, Trowa's eyes bore a hint of quiet satisfaction; stage one was complete.

**  
  
  
  
Notes**:

_[1] - Mandarin for "so you are indeed alive"._

_[2] - Okay, Wulong didn't exactly 'help Wufei up', in that he did not provide any physical assistance, but I couldn't think of a proper way to describe it. Traditionally, a kowtow is very ritualistic and the person who kowtows does not rise until given permission, either in a non-spoken form or through a statement (eg. from a king: "You may rise."; or, from a semi-equal: "Please, you do not need to pay such homage.". By offering his hand and a semblance of actual assistance, Wulong is almost welcoming his son._

_[3] - Refer to Chapter 25 if necessary._

_[4] - For a complete translation, pronunciation guide and additional notes, refer __here__._

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